How to Make a Dark Land Quilt
by Treacle Parcheesi
Summary: Bowser Jr. comes to Dark Land to spend his first summer with his father. A dying Kamek muses upon his childhood and allegiance to the Koopa Troop.
1. The Doomship Sails to Dark Land

**Just a cute Valentine's to help us through the last winter cold. Also, a nice story for Mother's Day, which is celebrated this month where I live. Enjoy. I love you:)**

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><p>The newborn world under Rosalina's feet sparkled as she puffed atomic stardust on it. She waved her wand, and the dust blossomed into a forest. Another wave and she redirected cool, pure water from underneath the ground to fill a pond. She tried one of the peaches from the trees, and it was ripe. The forest would be a lovely home for the family of little people she had decided to call Toads, because of the toadstool – like growths on their heads.<p>

Rosalina's duty was really to guard the night sky; the universe, as she called it. But in her spare time, she loved rendering lifeless planets into worlds supporting life. Although some claimed that she was interfering with the reformation of space matter, she thought that because the universe itself is infinite, what difference would a tiny, tiny home for the needy make?

"Polari!" She called for her trusted caretaker. "It's finished."

The dark brown Luma appeared out of thin air and floated over the forest. "This is great work, my dear. I know so many Toads and Goombas who need shelter."

"Good," She replied. "Bring them here, and I'll build some houses for them too."

In an hour a mass of Toads, Goombas and Beanish had gathered outside the gates to the forest village. Rosalina welcomed them, while Polari guided them to their assigned houses.

Later that evening Rosalina sat on her bed, brushing her hair and used a crystal ball to look at the little society she had made. A family of Leaf Guys worked together preparing a meal. The children invited the other villagers to join them.

"Rosalina?" Polari floated in the door crack.

"Come in," she replied, not taking her eyes off the scene. Her caretaker observed it too.

"You did a very nice thing for those people. Their home planet was destroyed by that meteor, and even though it's not your responsibility, you gave them a second chance. Yet still…" He floated closer to look her in the face, which was unmistakably sad.

"I sense that you're unhappy."

Rosalina looked down. Polari was unbending. "What's wrong, my dear? You know you can tell me anything."

She sighed. "I feel so empty. You Lumas are my people and I love you like I would love my own children. Which is what I wish for so much. But it's impossible."

Polari warmed her with one of his sparkles. "Nothing is impossible, dear."

Rosalina lay down to sleep, and right before she drifted off, Polari took one of her tears in his tiny arm. He watched it float in the air, and then make a little twinkle.

There was no day or night on the Observatory, but everybody there had a very modern opinion on sleep routines. Rosalina woke up, and found that she was not alone in the bed. On each side of her lay a bundle and both of them were moving.

They were infants, although unlike any infants she had ever seen. She felt a jolt of surprise when she realized they were Koopas, and when over the initial surprise, overjoyed to find that they were her own children!

"Oh," she sighed blissfully, and held them in her arms as she leant back on her pillows. "You're so tiny!" she kissed them both and saw them smiling back at her. "You're so adorable. I love you!"

They were twins, a boy and a girl. They had tiny, clawed hands, velvety skin with the color of the sun, soft little feet and vulnerable, large eyes. Rosalina was so full of love she forgot about everything outside of the bedroom, and spent all morning with her children, until there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" She happily waved in the group of Lumas, who curiously observed their mistress' children.

"Aren't they just wonderful?" Rosalina folded her hands in awe at the sight of the little ones in the bassinet.

One of the Lumas admitted to herself that the twins were an acquired taste. "But they're Koopas."

Rosalina nodded. "Their souls were drifting across the cosmos, wanting to come to life, and they chose me. Thank you." She held the twins' hands and kissed their little fingers. They were tired from all the attention. The boy curled up against his sister, who rested her head protectively over his.

"What are you going to call them?" Polari asked.

"I want to call my daughter Eudicot, because to me, she's a flower. And because he's my good luck, I think I'll call my son –"

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><p>"Kamek!" A voice roared through the airship's bridge, and the Koopa Wizard was torn out of his beautiful vision. One who hadn't visited him in ages…<p>

"Kamek! Are we there yet?"

Bowser had asked him that many, many times, and although his voice had changed over the years, the tone hadn't.

"Yes, Your Awfulness," the Magikoopa replied tolerantly. "The Hub is only ten minutes away. If you go up on deck, you'll see it in the distance."

Bowser listened and went out to the railing by the slime tub. From here he had shown many of his acquaintances the spectacular views of Dark Land and the Mushroom World.

This was a journey he had wanted to embark on alone, but without Kamek, his destination would be impossible to find. You see, this place, called The Hub by its patrons, had the highest concentration of Magikoopas in the Galaxy. Some of them lived here; others came there to meet others of their kind. But their constant presence and concentrated aura protected Reishi Linh's castle with an almost solid dome of residual magic, making it invisible.

Suddenly, the Koopa king had to clutch the railing; the ship was starting to land.

Safe on the ground, Kamek pointed in the direction of The Hub. "It's just up that hill, and we'll be there."

Bowser felt nervous. He hadn't foreseen that, and was actually glad he wasn't by himself. "How do you think this will go?"

"We'll go there, say hi, drink some tea, endure an hour of Reishi's mind games and go home. All in a day's work."

"I don't know if I can do this…"'

"Hey, hey. Just remember that he is just as nervous as you."

Reishi Linh met the two outside the gate to her castle, which by the way was much bigger than Bowser's. A gang of very young Koopa sorcerers looked at him; curious, while whispering to each other.

"Hello there." The Toad girl, as Bowser called her, was no longer a girl, but fully an adult. She was as thin and sinewy as she had always been, but in a drier, less vulnerable way. Her cruel, red eyes physically stopped Bowser in his track.

Kamek tugged at his master's hand. "Be polite."

"Eh, hi. Can we come in?" King Koopa grunted.

"Please. I have a fresh pot of English Breakfast, and I just made banana bread. Kamek," she turned to the Magikoopa with a considerably less harsh tone, "The kids sitting on the statue have been nagging me about you all day. Why don't you go and talk to them for a while, and join us later?"

While she herself sat in a mammoth, overstuffed velvet armchair with a back going almost up to the ceiling of the tea room, Bowser was made to sit in a tiny Victorian dining room chair without a hole for his tail.

She stirred the sugar nonchalantly around in her tea. Bowser had finished his, and ready to talk.

"I hear that you have done a great job keeping him safe and healthy." He started.

Reishi didn't look up; she actually savored the unbearably awkward silence.

"So… When can I see him?"

This time she did look up. "I think the real question is why I feel hesitant to let him know you at all."

Bowser sighed exasperatedly; enter the mind games. "Yes; why won't Reishi let me see my own son?"

She replied in the same sardonic tone. "Oh, I don't know. Could be your selfishness and complete lack of love for anyone but yourself... Or, the one she fell victim to herself; your unmatched ability to destroy everything and everyone you touch. More banana bread?"

"I want my son. He's old enough to come home now. And the Koopalings have promised to come home for the summer. They're ready to meet him now."

"I doubt it."

"Reishi!" Kamek's appeared in the doorframe, and his voice had a definite warning to it. "This was the agreement. Whether you like it or not, we're taking the prince to Dark Land _today_."

Reishi had a level of respect for Kamek. He was the only one who could resist her banana bread.

Bowser's seventh son had been raised in secret at Reishi's compound, alongside her many Magelings. He got along with them just fine, but he knew deep inside that he didn't belong there.

He was sitting in his playroom with his crayons and coloring book, and didn't notice the Koopa king joining him at the table.

Bowser tried to think of something to say. He picked up one of his son's chicken scratchings.

"Did you draw this?"

Bowser Jr. looked up. "It's mine!" he snarled and tore it out of his father's claw.

"It's um, cool beans."

The child realized something. "Hey! _I_ say that!"

He finally took a good look at the stranger, and realized that it was the Koopa from the picture over his bed. "You're _dad_?"

"It's _King_ Dad to you, kid," Bowser grumped. Their mental ages weren't that different. "I'm here to ask you if you want to come and live with me."

The little child, already worshipping the giant Koopa, nodded. "OK." He followed his father down the stairs, asking four questions a second.

Kamek looked at them on the Doomship's deck. The Koopa king's face was full of pride as his little son jumped up and down while talking. It was just like seeing the eight-year-old Bowser. As for the look on the father's face… Kamek remembered a time when someone used to look at him with that face.

As he ordered more coal to be thrown into the furnace, and set course for Dark Land, he started to daydream, and it was wonderful.


	2. Family Time

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for your reviews! They mean so much to me. Yes, I felt like Bowser Jr. deserved a story, although he has to share it with Kamek. In this chapter we find that a lot of people have trouble with sharing.**

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><p>Little Eudicot chased after the Luma, who desperately tried to get away. He didn't feel like sitting on her trinket shelf again. "Keep your mitts off me, you little joker!"<p>

"Wait for me!" Kamek ran after, but his breath failed him. He stood on one of the observatory's patio chairs and tried to flit up into the air, like his sister. But unlike her he didn't have wings, so he landed with a crash in a flower pot.

"Ow!" He held up his thumb, which was bleeding. Eudicot decided to leave the Luma alone and landed by Kamek's side.

"Why did you do that; you know you can't fly!" She bent over to look him in the face.

"It hurts!"

Eudicot hated when people got owwies and boo boo's. It hurt inside of her in a ways he couldn't explain. She took her brother's hand in hers and breathed on it. The cut disappeared, and so did all the blood.

"Children, what are you doing now?" Rosalina came out on the patio. She was baking a cake, and wearing an apron over her trailing blue dress. She immediately identified the scene, and knelt down to look her daughter in the eyes. "What have I told you about flying? It's not fair to your brother."

Her son didn't have any special powers and it bothered him more than he let the others know. But nothing escaped Rosalina.

"Mommy, look what Eudicot did!" Kamek held up his hand, and Rosalina carefully inspected it. "What _did_ she do?"

"I had an owwie and she made it better. Look, it's gone." The little Mageling was as happy as he always was, when not vexed by owwies.

Rosalina was curious. "How did you do it, sweetie?"

"I saw the boo-boo, and I just knew. It disappeared when I breathed on it."

Kamek was on his little feet again. "Come on, sis! We can play catch in garden, if you promise you won't fly."

"OK." The twins joined hands and ran off.

Polari caught up with Rosalina, who just stood there, lost in thought.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"My daughter just healed a wound by simply breathing on it." She replied.

The dark-skinned Luma smiled with his eyes. "I'm not surprised. After all, they're Star Children."

"Star Children? But my divination shows that there won't be any Star Children for thousands of years."

"That may be. But children are the hardest things to foresee. First when they arrive, then what they will become."

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><p>The Koopalings had been arriving one by one. Wendy O. Koopa was the last one, followed by Roy, in her personal Doomship. It took fourteen Troopas to move her belongings to her old chamber.<p>

Bowser's children had decided to forgive their father's considerable flaws and past violations of their rights. That didn't mean they had forgotten. Roy's snout was stiffer than a January electrical bill, and his arms were crossed; a bad, bad sign.

"What does he want now, I wonder?"

"According to the invitation he just wants us to spend the next six weeks with him and please, don't start this again." Wendy sighed.

"Start what?" Roy's eyes narrowed behind the sunglasses.

"That! The tone, the fighting, the name-calling and plates of taters stuck to the wallpaper! My surgeon says the Christmas party went straight to my forehead." She examined herself in her mirror. "Did you know that five of the names you called King Dad are banned in the U.S?"

"Even if they're true?"

"Yes. Let's just get downstairs and get the false promises and bone-crushing hugs out of the way."

Roy kicked away a pebble as he followed Wendy to the main foyer. "I left my job and family for this?"

"…And golfing! I love golfing, do you have a place I can practice? And Miss Linh always let me stay up till nine o' clock, and cookies and snicker doodles with a glass of milk…"

"That's alright, young sir, you can have whatever you want." Kamek was not allowed to say no to Bowser Jr. King Koopa had made it clear that he wanted to give his youngest son as carefree a childhood as possible. It was a good thought; one that Kamek agreed with. Bowser had screwed up his first seven kids; maybe he would get this one right.

"Anyway, young prince, this is Kastle Koopa. It's your home now, so we're gonna find you a nice room where you can sleep and play. This is the biggest bedroom on this floor."

The sorcerer opened, and only then remembered it was Ludwig von Koopa's old chamber. Ludwig himself had arrived early that morning, and had spent all day with a new experiment, which had exploded and covered him in green goo.

He smiled unsettlingly at them, and clearly mistook them for someone else. "Oh, King Dad, am I not _fragrant_?"

Kamek closed the door with no further ado. "Anyway, the room as far away from this one as possible, is down here. It's a bit smaller, but it has a spectacular view to the volcano."

He left the child to get used to his new surroundings. "I have some things I need to take care of. Just go exploring; but keep out of the dungeon. If you do get lost, just call me and I'll come for you."

Junior replied by hugging Kamek around the waist. He was a strong little one; just as strong as the king had been at that age. It knocked the breath out of him. Then again, the royal Koopas were affectionate in a way that tended to hurt just a little.

He met Bowser in the upstairs library. He had taken out the family albums, and was now standing by the window. The memories were painful, even for someone as emotionally stunted as him.

"The Koopalings are here, Your Largeness; all of them," Kamek said. "Why don't you call them up here?"

"Because I'm mad at them. And why shouldn't I be? They grew up without my permission!" Bowser fumed, and then punched the wall.

"You could show them these pictures. That's a good way to get the ball rolling. I'll go and gather them."

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><p>Although Bowser's oldest children were in their early adulthood and mid to late teens, they weren't full-fledged Royal Koopas like their father. That takes many years. The most unforgivable thing they had done was breaking up as a sibling flock, leaving Kastle Koopa and building their own lives.<p>

Ludwig spent most of his time in his Real World castle, writing new music and teaching rich European girls to sing by day, and improving Western medicine by night. Roy was only seventeen, but he had already started his own family, which he kept as far out of Bowser's reach as possible. Lemmy had wanted to join the circus, but vaudeville was on its rise again, and didn't travel as much. Iggy's theories on Eastern medicine, healing and ecology were extraordinary, and had helped a lot of Koopas. Too bad he himself was hopelessly and rabidly insane. Wendy wrote feminist literature when not wrapped up in one of her tragic romances. Morton Koopa Jr. was a TV personality. His talkative nature had leaded him there, and people actually found him funny. Larry Koopa was too young to have a job or family; so he lived together with Morton.

They had agreed to sit with their father and look through their old baby pictures. The mood was tense, but at least not cold. Lemmy was just glad to see his father and that everyone were together and friends again.

"Is that Luddi?" He pointed at a picture of the oldest sibling; barely a year old and napping with a bottle of absinthe.

"Yes, it is," Bowser said affectionately. "He called me King Da-da."

"That's _precious_," Larry said and smiled deviously to Ludwig who buried his face in his palm.

"And look; there's Iggy biting Wendy for the first time." Bowser held up the album so the green-haired Koopaling could have a look.

"Yeah… You had me drugged to the gills in the asylum. Good times."

Everybody laughed. Roy being the exception, of course. He and his father had never been on good terms. In the beginning everybody had thought that it was a dispute over the succession, but in time they realized the conflict went way deeper.

"Could we cut the crap and get to your ulterior motive, please?" He asked. He wasn't sitting down, just leaning against the couch.

Bowser closed the album and rose from his seat. The Koopalings gave him their full attention as he prepared to share the secret.

"You have another sibling."

The room didn't stay quiet for long.

"What?"

"Woo – hoo!"

"Oh, Jeez!"

"The Hell?"

"As we walk through the valley of the shadow of death…"

"No way!"

"Holy crud!"

Bowser hesitated. "Kamek, would you get him, please?"

This time the room was quiet as the wizard entered with Bowser Jr., who was just as curious about the Koopalings as they were about him.

"Koopalings, Bowser Junior." King Koopa lined up next to his youngest child. "Bowser Junior; Koopalings. They're your family, too."

The initial shock settled, and then, they introduced themselves by name. All of them, but especially Lemmy, were welcoming towards the little Koopa kid. Roy on the other hand didn't even look at him, just stared angrily at his father.

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><p>The sky didn't fall until dinner, however. Everyone sat at their old places at the table and talked before the pot roast was served. Bowser Jr. didn't have his own chair yet, so he had been placed in the late Queen Koopa's seat. That didn't go well with Roy, who had been fiercely devoted to his mother.<p>

"No way," he growled.

Lemmy tried to nip the scene in the bud. "Roy, it's OK-"

"That little bastard is _not_ sitting in our dead _mama_'s chair!" His snout reddened, and a fireball shot out. Luckily, it was out of his mouth.

Bowser Junior was frightened, so he hid under the table; shaking. He had never been treated like this, or called names.

Roy had no intentions of staying in the dining hall. The door was slammed so hard the painting of Bowser's grandfather fell down and was broken.

Kamek ducked under the table and retrieved the young prince, who was deeply distressed.

"Come with me, little sir. I do believe it's your bedtime."

The Koopalings' eyes all wandered to the unmoved Ludwig, who was eating his Hors D'oeuvres like nothing had happened.

"I'll deal with it." He said resolutely. "I think it's time our brother is reminded of a few things."


	3. A Special Kind of Magic

**Eudicots; plural. Single; Eudicot. "You-Dee-Kett". Huh. Sometimes I look in the dictionary and find words by coincidence that gets stuck to my brain, although they make no sense. Does that ever happen to you guys?**

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><p>The Magikoopa sat with Bowser Jr. for hours trying to comfort him, but nothing he had said so far seemed to help. The child buried his face in Kamek's knees and cried inconsolably.<p>

"It's OK, dear; it was an ugly painting anyway."

Junior just cried harder at this and started shaking. His tears were scalding; like hot coffee.

"He was right! I'm stupid and fat and ugly, and not a Koopa! Koopas are strong, and, and," he sobbed, "They don't cry!"

Kamek remembered something from his own childhood that had been a good rope for him, even now.

"Young sir, you're never strong or powerful when you're upset. I can't use my magic if I'm sad or upset. What kind of Koopa can you be if you let a trifle like this get to you? Troubled minds are weak minds."

That actually made the child stopped crying. Kamek stroke him over his thick red lock of hair. "See? Everything's gonna be alright."

There was a knock on the door. The little Koopa was startled by the sound and hid behind the wizard, who said: "It's open!"

It was Lemmy. It was strange how he was over ten years older than Junior and was still half his size.

"I just wanted to say goodnight."

Bowser Jr. peeked out from behind Kamek's arm. Lemmy smiled. "Hi. I have something for you."

"I'll leave you two alone." Kamek waved his wand and teleported out, leaving the youngest son alone on the bed.

"It's OK," Lemmy said as his brother tried to hide behind a throw pillow. "I'm not gonna hurt you." He leapt up on the mattress and sat on his knees. He reached inside his shell. "This is Mr. Muffin," he said and took out an ancient, shabby rag doll. "I've had him all my life. But now you can have him for a while, to help you sleep."

That was Lemmy's "thing" when he was a kid; whenever one of his siblings had a rough time he offered them Mr. Muffin. Even his father seemed to think it helped the time he had a bad dream. You see, there was a very special kind of magic in its seams. Can you guess which one?

Junior accepted the doll, but didn't take his eyes of Lemmy, who just smiled. "Sorry about the bite marks. Iggy said Mr. Muffin called him a Norwegian dog poo."

Junior giggled.

"Well, good night. You look tired." Lemmy doused the torches.

"Lemmy?"

"Yeah?"

"Leave the door opened a crack. But don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry. Roy's afraid of the dark, too."

Junior's eyes widened. "He is?"

"Yeah. He once thought his punching bag was the Bogeyman. But it was just Morton."

Bowser had watched the scene through Kamek's crystal ball. The wizard did not approve; it was an invasion of privacy.

"That's cute. I wanna see it again!" The Koopa King shook the ball, prompting Kamek to confiscate it.

"It's a crystal ball, Your Meddlesomeness, not a TiVo – box!" The sorcerer's eyes darted across the room, trying to think of a new place to hide the divination device. However, he soon found his thoughts wandering once again, and like the other times, he had no plans of keeping his feet on the ground.

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><p>It took four Lumas to carry out the giant birthday cake. The left side of it was full of peaches and whipped cream, the right side was chocolate. It was the birthday of Rosalina's children, and all the Lumas, as well as some Toad and Beanish kids were invited to the party under a rain of quiet fireworks, balloons and shooting stars at the Observatory.<p>

After the birthday song was sung, (the Beanish kids threw in some obscenities as well) the tiny twins climbed up on the table to blow out the six candles.

"Make a wish!" Rosalina projected the scene onto a piece of paper with her wand.

All the guests had heard about Eudicot's healing powers and dubbed her "the special one". Kamek hadn't shown any signs of supernatural powers. It bothered him, yet he never let it show. But nothing escaped Rosalina's eyes, or heart.

Everybody wanted a demonstration, and lined up by Eudicot's side of the chair, where they presented paper cuts, small scratches and bruises they mysteriously had suffered right before the party. It was nothing the little girl couldn't heal, but her powers were also her weakness.

Eudicots had a gift of empathy which was too big for her little body. Someone with a thumb tack in their heel may just as well rub a deep flesh wound in her face. Her mother knew this; this was why she couldn't let Eudicot's power be exploited like a lounge act.

"People! This is not a doctor's office; it's a party. Please eat some more cake, and afterwards we'll open presents!"

Nobody ever flouted Rosalina, that's why everybody took their seats, and soon, the laughing and chattering resumed.

But little Kamek was contemplative. He decided to get it over with.

"Mommy? Can my sister and I be excused, please?"

Rosalina raised her one visible eyebrow. "I don't know, sweetheart. It's your party, and you can't just leave your guests."

"We're gonna bring back a surprise, I promise." Kamek grabbed Eudicot and ran off, still with his mother's eyes on him.

"What was that for? I didn't even get to finish my Yoshi Cookies!" His sister said in an accusatory tone.

"Sssshh!" Kamek looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "I have to tell you something. Nobody will hear us if you fly us to the roof of the Garden."

It took some time carrying her brother all the way up there in her tiny arms. When they finally landed, her breath was short. "Kamek, you're so heavy!" She panted. "You eat too much."

"I do not!" Kamek tightened his fists and stomped his foot defiantly.

She sighed. "What is so important we're missing our party?"

Kamek reached inside the pocket of his robe. "I want you to see this." He held up a red gem.

"A ruby?" Eudicot examined it. "It's nice."

"Look. It's a _magical_ ruby." Kamek pointed the jewel into the air, and conjured a swarm of glittery, colorful butterflies. They landed first on Eudicot's cap, and then took off into the air, before dissolving into a beautiful rain of sparkles.

"That was _awesome_!" Eudicot gave her brother a round of happy applause. "Let me try it!"

She held the gem, but no matter how much she shook it, nothing happened. She frowned. "How did you do it?"

Kamek took the stone again, and this time it sent out waves of magnificent, emerald Northern lights.

His sister gasped. "Kamek; the stone isn't magical! You're magical! You have special powers too!"

The siblings did their adorable happy dance by joining hands and jumping up and down.

"We better get back to the party before Mommy starts looking for us." Once again thinking that he could fly, he leapt off the roof. He couldn't fly, apart from some pointless floating; needless to say, he fell to the ground like a rock.

"Kamek, that's a bad idea!" Eudicot took off after her brother, grabbed him just in the nick of time, and safely landed on the stone courtyard. "You are so _stupid_ sometimes!" she yelled; not because she was angry, but scared. "You can't fly! Magical or not, _you can't fly_!"

"Why not? It's so unfair that my _perfect_ sister can fly and I can't!" Kamek blushed, that's how upset he was.

"You shouldn't care what the people at the party think. They don't know _anything_. If you can't fly on your own, you could use the magic and make something to fly with."

Her eyes swept over the courtyard. "Like this thing." She picked up a discarded broom from the floor.

Kamek pointed the ruby at the bamboo broom, and it glowed for a second, and then hovered on its own.

"This rules," he said happily and mounted the thing. "Now I can fly back to the party!"

Eudicot nodded. "Would you… give me a ride?"


	4. The Way of the Koopa Clan

**TSM: I love Lemmy as well, although I haven't always. He creeped me out as a kid because of the ball and the lazy eye; reminding me of scary clowns. O_O And although sweet-natured, he has a dark side to him. But one should expect no less from a son of Bowser.**

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><p>Ludwig von Koopa was not exactly an angel. Yes, he did have diplomas from the best schools not only in Dark Land or the Mushroom Kingdom, but had also studied at a selection of universities in the Real World. But his real PhD's consisted taking advantage of people, twisting their words, stealing their property and destroying those who resisted him. It was rumored, although never proved, that he tortured people into giving him what he wanted.<p>

But he was not without empathy, and very much identified with Bowser Junior's situation. He had also grown up without a biological mother. Although his siblings' mother had always been gracious and loving toward him while she lived, even breaking him out of prison and putting up a trust fund worth millions, there were many difficult things to deal with as a divorce-child, among those being called a "bastard".

Ludwig lined up in front of his brother, who made a big deal out of not looking at him.

"What do you want?" Roy snapped.

"I wanted to put some things into perspective for you." Ludwig leant his claws on his sides.

"Oh, not this again –"

"Yes, this again. He's just a little kid; what were you thinking?"

"He's a bastard. No matter what. And I don't have to condone King Dad's love children."

"Having known me all your life, you are aware that _I_ myself do not share your mother? You have never treated me any less than our other siblings; you kicked my ass, but you never called me a bastard! Well, not in the context I'm referring to…"

"But that's different!" Roy shook his fist in a curious manner, similar to the one Bowser had when he was mad with power.

"Is it? Remember the vacation we spent at Koopville Manor? Your grandmother called _me_ a bastard and made me sleep in the gazebo."

"It wasn't better inside the house, believe me. She hated every one of us, even _Mama_." Roy hadn't thought about that summer in ages.

Ludwig smiled cleverly. "And even though we were all in the same boat, and you didn't owe me anything, you found it in your brawny heart to avenge my insult, and took a piss in her knitting basket."

"And I blamed Lemmy for it." Roy grinned. "Good thing _Grandmama_ was too fat to run after him."

"See? Please keep that episode in mind the next time you decide to act like such an insufferable bully."

Thirty seconds later the only female Koopaling held a bag of ice to Ludwig's black eye. "You always just _have_ to say that last part, don't you?

Ludwig took over the bag. "Shut up, Wendy."

* * *

><p>Fortunately, Ludwig wasn't the only one willing to give the new kid a chance. Bowser Jr. had taken the big risks by leaving his room to find some food. He went to the kitchen, packed some cold pork chops and cookies into his white bandana and took a bottle of soda; thinking he could dash back to his room unseen.<p>

He hadn't foreseen that two of his brothers would wait for him inside, leaning against the walls.

"Boo!" The pale, leggy Koopaling with the green hair jumped out from behind the door. Junior's heart jumped as well, from his chest to his throat. He backed into another sibling, who snatched his breakfast.

"Hey, give that back!" Junior tried to jump up, but Morton was too big and strong.

"You want it?" Iggy took the bundle and dangled it over the little boy's head. "Sure. Here you go…"

He lowered it, and as Junior tried to catch the food, Iggy lifted it up. "… If you happy-dance through _Land of Confusion_." He then blew Jr. a raspberry.

"Hey, no fair! I'll tell on you, Four Eyes!" Junior shouted angrily and stomped the floor.

The two others just chuckled at this. Junior looked at them and he was jealous; they were so much bigger and cooler than him, and they made him feel like a baby. He pouted. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Morton crossed his arms. "Because King Dad told us to learn you the way of the Koopa Clan. Come here."

"No!" Junior screamed as the two Koopalings dragged him off.

* * *

><p>"No, mommy, I don't wanna go to the Toad Village Conference!"<p>

Kamek had been sitting on top of the library's highest bookshelf all morning. Rosalina, Polari and Eudicot waited below.

"Why not?" Rosalina asked.

"Because the other kids will laugh at me because of my glasses. Can I at least leave them at home?"

"Son, you're wearing those glasses because you have sensitive eyes. Do you want flash burns?"

After additional discussion, Rosalina took out her wand and levitated her son down from the shelf.

The once arid world was now incredibly lush and harmonic. The gates were opened for the Observatory group, and the guards bowed.

"Welcome," they said and moved aside, so the mayor of the Village could get a closer look.

"Rosalina, Polari, welcome to Toad Village," she said.

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Mayor," Rosalina replied.

"I understand that you have brought some very important guests for us to meet." The heavy-set, smiling Toad woman folded her hands in anticipation, and everyone on the packed square tried to get a closer look.

"Come on, children, don't be shy." Rosalina looked over her shoulder at her twins, who hid behind her, anxiously hanging on to her skirt.

"These are nice people," she insisted. "Come out and say hello."

Kamek and Eudicot peeked out from behind their mother. The Toads gasped. They had expected Rosalina's children to be picturesque, fair-skinned little humans; probably with their mother's bone structure. But these two were short and chubby, their skin was yellow, they wore thick glasses and had fangs. The girl even had small, fly-like wings!

"Those are her _kids_?"

"Ugly!"

"They must be adopted."

Everybody started murmuring, like Mushroom People tend to do. A little Toad boy came up from behind Eudicot, and grabbed her by the left wing. He didn't mean to be cruel, he was just curious; thinking it was a costume.

But Eudicot herself didn't appreciate it. She yelped. "Ow, that hurts!"

Kamek intervened, and separated the two by a wave of his "magic" ruby. "Leave my sister alone!"

More Toad kids came toward them as well, so the twins joined hands and watchfully kept their eyes on the others.

"You're not Star Children.," one of the Toad boys said condescendingly. "You're just Koopas, and in this town Koopas aren't welcome."

"Children-"Mrs. Mayor started, and lifted her hands.

Kamek frowned, but didn't take it personally. This was a common prejudice, one they faced every day. "Yes, we're Koopas. Not all Koopas are mean, or steal stuff." He then gave his attention to his upset sister, brushing the dust off her white robe. "Are you alright?"

One of the Toad children turned to Rosalina; blushing. "Can the twins come and play in the Tanooki Tree with us?"

Kamek and Eudicot jumped up and down in excitement. "Yeah; Mommy, can we, can we?"

"Of course you can." Rosalina hugged them before they ran off with the other kids. "But stay away from the pond!"

She waited until she couldn't see them anymore before she followed Mrs. Mayor to the conference table.

They were growing up too fast.


	5. School of Hard Koopas

**This here chapter I dedicate to author bowserjr2946; who not only subscribed to this story, but added me to their favorite author AND story list. I thank him/her (they didn't specify, sorry) for their kindness and, hehe, faith in me :P This chapter has only Junior in it; the next will have Kamek's story in it. Big changes are ahead of both of them. Good day.**

**I said _good day_!**

* * *

><p>The two Koopalings dragged their little brother off to an ad-hoc classroom they had put together in Kamek's conference auditorium.<p>

"What do you want? I don't have any money if that's why you kidnapped me."

Morton placed Junior on a stool in front of the old foldable blackboard, which was closed. "I don't know, brother," he said to Iggy. "I think he'll try to run away. Should we bring out Sleepy - bye?"

"Good idea," Iggy snickered and took out a fearful - looking cocoon of belts and hospital straps; an old-fashioned restraint bag; with a rubber holster on the inside to fill up with either warm or cold water. The green-haired Koopaling had spent most of his childhood in it. "Nobody _ever _outgrows Sleepy - bye!"

Junior tried hard to keep the tears from showing; repeating to himself what Kamek had said. "You're both just big meanies!"

"Hm," Morton said pensively. "Maybe if the kid promised to sit still, we wouldn't have to tie him down."

Iggy leant over and looked Junior right in the eye. The child felt very uncomfortable; it was as if the grass head was possessed by some kind of demon.

"OK, then, we won't hurt you. If you promise to do exactly as we say. If you don't, really mean Koopas will come for you and lock you up in the white cell. And you'll rot there forever without anyone to talk to. Got it?"

A very, very mean Koopa lady had threatened Iggy with this punishment once when he was a very little Koopaling. It had been an idle threat, of course, but still enough to scar the child for life. Even now late in his teens, he had nightmares.

"I understand." Junior relaxed his shoulders.

"Alrighty then!" His demented smile returned so quickly it was unsettling. "Morton-dear, it's time to start our lesson."

"Great." Morton opened the blackboard to reveal four pictures; one of a human in a red cap, another in a green cap, and a human girl with a lot of gold in her long hair. She was smiling. Junior had never in his life seen a woman's smile, so it was a nice change of pace.

"These are the Mario - brothers, and that's their bestest friend, Princess Peach. You see them?" Morton circled the pictures with a long pointer. "And that's us." The fourth picture was of the Koopalings and Bowser. "There's Lemmy, Roy, Iggy, the latter looking totally fabulous-"

"Thank you, Morton," Iggy said sweetly.

"And there _you _are! Any questions?"

Junior looked closely. "That's not a picture of me! That's just a stick figure with stink lines around it!"

"Ha-ha; he guessed it!" Iggy clapped his hands.

"Anyway; us Koopalings hate the Mario brothers, and we always try to dispose of them." Morton said as if there had been no interruption.

"Why?" Bowser Jr. asked.

"Because, like our oldest brother Ludwig always said: "They're a pain in the drain."

"That's not a good reason to "dispose" of anyone." Junior crossed his arms in disapproval.

Iggy clicked his tongue. "Did the student raise his claw? Because I sure as Hell didn't see any claws in the air."

Bowser Jr. grumbled and raised his clawed hand. "Why do we want the Mario brothers gone?"

"Because they protect the Princess. If we take her, we can also have her kingdom. And just like that the whole Mushroom World will belong to us." Morton sat on the desk, folding his hands over his meaty knee.

"But what's gonna happen to the Princess? We're not gonna chop her head off, are we?" Junior asked; stressed out.

"Oh, no, no! We'll throw _her _in the dungeon!" Morton reassured him.

Iggy cackled again. "Where she undoubtedly will be taken good care of by our brother here." He hid a whisper with his hand; "He's got the hots for her!"

"I get it," Junior replied wryly.

"Anyway, you are not fully a member of the Koopa family until you have done mean nasty things to the Mario brothers and Princess Peach. You don't have to defeat them completely; just make their day miserable and cause a lot of trouble. All you have to do is to use your special power."

"But don't you dare tattling," Morton growled. "If you do, I'll make Ludwig shove you into the time machine and force you to watch Nyan Cat for 200 hours!"

"That's how I became legally incompetent," Iggy interjected with another one of his winning smiles.

When Morton was finally done rambling, it was noon, so the two siblings left for lunch.

* * *

><p>The Kastle Koopa carpenter still hadn't finished Junior's chair, so the child decided to eat somewhere else. Lemmy Koopa, the ridiculously tiny Koopaling with an affinity for circus balls and everything yellow, waved at him.<p>

"Don't go! Here, you can sit next to me." The chair was big enough for both of them. Lemmy reached for a sandwich, only realizing the size of the portion when it was on his plate.

"Whoa," he exclaimed, then turned to Junior. "Want half of it? I can never eat a whole sub in one sitting."

"Me neither," Jr. replied. "You can't put candy in a tummy that's full of healthy rye bread and lettuce."

"Exactly." Lemmy smiled, and it made his dark eyes align; if only for a couple of seconds.

Later that afternoon Bowser was having a training session with the Troop, so to avoid the attention and noise, the Koopalings withdrew to their old nursery. Junior sat by the stained glass window that depicted a fairy with demon wings, and thought about the upcoming chaos he was supposed to plan and execute on Princess Peach's Solstice celebration, and his special power, which he didn't have at all.

Lemmy looked into the old Koopa toy chest. "Hey, look! It's our old Speak & Spell. We should get some batteries for it and make it say dirty words for old times sakes."

Roy scoffed. "Geeks like you don't know any dirty words."

"Shut up, fat head!" Lemmy jumped on the floor angrily.

"Don't call me fat head, you stupid geek!"

The two siblings attacked each other, and the fight must have been to the death inside that dust cloud. Iggy ran up and cheered them on, laughing like a lunatic.

"Look who's fightin' again!"

Ludwig had to abandon his walk through memory lane and old sheet music to break them up. "Roy, stop it! You have a wife and two kids, dammit! Break it up!"

Finally, the two were done, and Roy lay flat on his back, panting. "Jeez, that was a blast from the past!"

"You said it," Lemmy replied as he wiped up the stains from his nose bleed.

"My wife and I fight like this every day, but she always wins." Roy was talking about his wife Lynnie, a chubby Koopa lady with seemingly unlimited upper body strength combined with a very short fuse.

"Hey, Iggy, whatever happened to your girlfriend? You used to stick together like cheap waffles."

"We did," Iggy said as he reminisced about her. "But when Shelly and I matured physically I found that neither of our genes were superior, so I asked her to part from me, lest we'd bring second-grade offspring into the world."

Ludwig moaned and made a face-claw. "Please tell me you didn't say that!"

"Have you found someone with superior genes?" Larry bit down on his lip to keep from laughing.

"Oh, yes; my stenographer, Oona."

"And how did you sweep her off her feet?"

Iggy smiled calmly. Calmly doesn't mean not creepy. "I told her: "You are my naturally selected other, as you have intelligence and beauty, and I have been given strength, health and intellect. We must now copulate in order to pass our superior genes into elite progenies and rule our flourishing, ideal nation"."

Wendy scoffed into the back of her claw. "That's really cute. Did you get lucky?"

"Six months at Freaky Fred's and a restraining order. So yes."

Everybody laughed.

"Don't worry bro," Roy said reassuringly. "You'll find the perfect one sooner than you know. One day I wake up after passing out drunk on a dirty couch with my hand under my plastron -"

"Oh my God," Morton said disgusted.

" - The next I'm living in a spotless house with two eggs and a hot wife."

Lemmy came by, dancing atop his yellow circus ball. "Things always change for the better."

Jr. looked at his new brothers and sister form where he sat. They were awesome. He himself didn't have big muscles like Roy, or big, scary eyes and a lot of sharp teeth like Iggy. He couldn't jump as high as Wendy O., and he couldn't manufacture fake Yellow Coins like Larry. Most of all, he envied Morton. He had a birthmark over his eye shaped like a star, a lot of knife-sharp teeth and a large mouth; red like blood.

He went to his room and looked at his reflection in the mirror. All his brothers had spiky cuffs. Even Wendy O. had traded in her old gold bracelets and melted them into an anklet. On her arms she now had _pink _spiky cuffs. Junior's cuffs were just plain iron with no spikes. And only one, pathetic milk fang.

"I'm just a clone of old King Dad," Bowser Jr. said, feeling a bit like an outcast. He then saw his crayons and got an idea. He took the bandana, sitting down at his little round desk and took out his favorite crayon; torch red.

"A big snout like King Dad..." he lined it up with a black pencil on the white cloth. "Red mouth like Morty..." He colored it in, "And big sharp teeth like Four Eyes."

He tied the finished "mouth" around his head, and went back to the mirror.

"It worked! I'm a real Koopaling now, Mr. Muffin!"

He brushed his tooth and went to bed. Now he couldn't wait to wreck the princess' party.

Everyone would see him, and they would be super scared!


	6. It Takes a Woman

**Thank you for your reviews! I'm such a lucky b-tard!**

**TSM: This story takes place even before Super Mario Sunshine, the event he had been working himself up to. You see, nobody, unless coerced by Bowser, can join him on his great conquests until they have proven themselves as truly mean and nasty. ^_~ And by the way; you consider Yellow Roses my prime 'work'? I appreciate that, because I got some pretty nasty PM's about it. That's why after chapter 17 I suddenly cut a lot of stuff out just to finish the fic. I've been afraid to even reference it in other fics; which is annoying because it's impossible not to. It's so unfair. But don't let me worry you. You just enjoy Kamek's story now. He's got a lot of things to tell all of his beautiful readers.**

* * *

><p>Because Rosalina's people live in a place where time has no meaning, they never age or die. Rosalina herself was human, and on the Observatory they stop ageing at age 23, for some reason.<p>

Kamek and Eudicot however found that they did grow a little faster after their visits to Toad Village. They attended school with the other Toad kids and spent more and more time outside of the Observatory as their powers grew and advanced.

Kamek had gone from creating laser shows and holographic pictures to make physical objects appear and take massive forms with applicable features. Also, the more his horizon of experiences widened the more control he gained over his abilities to teleport and foresee the future. His loyalty to his allies was indestructible. These are the marks of the Magikoopa.

Eudicot performed surgeries now without any problems. Also, she could cure diseases of the mind, and find healing herbs upon scouting for them when they were miles away. She was incapable of revealing her patients' secrets, hurting them, deliberately or not, or giving them the wrong cure. These are the marks of the Medikoopa.

Both the siblings chose to channel their magic through a ruby in a scepter of brass; called "wand" by the villagers. Now they were approaching their teens; while still retaining their childlikeness like all Koopas do well into their adulthood. That's how Rosalina could keep mothering them as much as she wanted. If she spoiled them, it was solely on love.

"You know I love you, don't you?" She said tenderly as she rubbed their soft cheeks. It had been a very long day, full of hard work for them, and now they were falling asleep. "That I'm not complete if you are not here."

Kamek's eyes were too heavy to keep open. "We love you too, Mommy."

The little Koopa twins lay face to face in the cloud-like bed. They had tried sleeping in separate beds, but it wasn't a good solution. They had nightmares and became restless, but Rosalina didn't believe it was the result of a fear of separation. It seemed as if there was a spiritual connection between them, one pertaining to their lives' purpose and too powerful for the waking mind.

After sitting with them for a while, she went up to the telescope, where the Lumas had requested both her and Polari's presence.

"Rosalina," two Lumas showed her a chart they had spent the afternoon drawing. "The orbit of the neighboring planet that was destroyed in that meteor crash eleven years ago has now been conjoined with another planet's. It's extraordinary; we've never seen anything like it. It's pulling us away from the Mushroom World."

"What?" She frowned and took the chart. The numbers were correct. "At what velocity?"

"Our calculations show that we won't see this place again for at least a hundred years."

"Why did you call us up here for a minor thing like this?" Polari asked. "A hundred years... That's not a long time."

But Rosalina realized something. "But it is for my children," she said with the expression of doubt and worry on her face. "Please excuse me."

Polari found his ruler in the library. She was crying, for the first time in eleven years.

"What is wrong, my dear? The children will get used to traveling in space. They will meet new species; new friends."

"No, I can't do that to them." Rosalina sobbed soundlessly into the sleeve of her silk morning robe. "They have good friends here, and a future. I always knew this day would come."

"It came too fast."

They went to the bedroom to take a look the twins. Kamek had propped his hands underneath his head, and Eudicot was flapping her wings softly. Rosalina realized the siblings were communicating; sharing dreams.

"They really are Star Children, Polari. And that's why they are needed by the Mushroom People. I know they will do miraculous things... But I can also feel darkness. Something will try to corrupt them."

"Will it succeed?" Polari asked.

"I cannot say." Rosalina pulled up their blanket, which had been kicked off. "Even though I could seek the wisdom, I don't want to. All that is important for my children now is to rest. They are going to change the Mushroom World very soon."

* * *

><p>The next afternoon Rosalina took her children for a walk in the Tanooki Forest; the woodland surrounding the Mushroom Village.<p>

"Oh my, look at this!" Eudicot came floating down from the great Tanooki Tree with a heart shaped leaf in her hand. "You know, I don't think these are my original ears." She pulled her cap off, revealing two furry ears.

"Mommy!" Kamek peeked out from the tree's foliage. "Did my tail always look like this?"

He lifted up his robe to reveal brown and tan raccoon tail; longer than himself.

Rosalina tried not to smile as she turned her children back to normal with a sweep of her wand. "Every summer the Tanooki Leaves turn into Power Leaves. The tree needs one whole year to finish this cycle. Time changes a lot of things. For good."

Kamek joined hands with his sister; he had knowledge to share with her. "Like the Observatory being pulled into a new orbit?"

"How did you…?" Rosalina sat down on a low tree branch.

Kamek smiled. "There's nothing you worry about that we don't know, Mommy. We always know if someone is lying."

"I… I'm sorry if you feel that I've deceived you, children." She took them up on her lap. "I didn't want to burden you."

"We're not babies anymore, you know." Eudicot said defensively.

Rosalina looked at them for a couple of seconds before hugging the both of them tightly. "Yes, you are! You're my tiny treasures…"

"Mommy, you'll break my glasses!" Kamek managed to say through the rib-crushing embrace.

Rosalina put them back down. "I could never ask of you to stay with me in the Observatory while it sails around in the universe. The Lumas and I are immortal. You're mortal. You will live long, still, but not long enough for a hundred years to mean nothing." She took a deep breath. "Would you like to live on the Observatory, or would you like to stay on the Mushroom Planet?"

The twins hadn't foreseen _this_ question. They started to doubt themselves as they deliberated, but in time, turned to Rosalina.

"It's so sad that the Observatory is leaving," Kamek said,

"But we don't wanna leave all our friends behind." Eudicot finished. "They need us."

"That's why we must stay here with them and take care of them." The little Magikoopa nodded his head.

Their mother started crying silently again, but it was not tears of sadness, but of pride.

* * *

><p>But the actual separation was much tougher on her. As if a higher power had agreed with the twin's plan, a large tribe of Koopas had landed on the Mushroom World; one in need of strong leaders.<p>

"Children," Polari said to the twins as they arrived at the meadow where the tribe waited. "These are Koopas from the Reactor Galaxy."

Eudicot gasped in fright and hid her face in her hands. "But that's an awful, awful place!"

"Yeah!" Kamek concurred. "It's full of Royal Koopas and Bob-Ombs and Bullet Bills and none of them goes to church! Everybody there is evil! And they always try to steal land and…"

Polari sank down to their level to whisper something. "That's one of the reasons I called you out here. Their King often sends scouts before conquering new land. Can you sense if they are up to something?"

The twins circled the group for a few moments, and then landed by Polari again.

"No. The Koopa King didn't send them. They have been through a very hard time, that's why they're here." Kamek said.

"They're tired and sick," Eudicot informed. "Many of them have been injured in the battle it took them to escape from here."

"And there are children among them that are hungry. We better get everybody some food as soon as possible."

The word caused the Koopa group to go nuts. Everybody, especially the women, came rushing toward them. Polari had no chance of stopping the riot.

"Food? We hungry!"

Kamek made them all freeze with a booming wave of magic. Then, he conjured a large frying pan.

"Everybody, please make a single file next to me!" he shouted, and made a fire under the giant skillet. "I will give you the food, but only if there's an orderly line. You can have as much as you want. Then go over to my sister, the nice girl in the white dress…"

Eudicot curtsied before them.

"… And she will give you a bottle of water and a loaf of bread."

Kamek had never considered cooking an important skill, so he served the Tribeskoopas the only hot meal he knew how to make. The Koopas seemed to love the young sorcerer's special recipe -

"Franks and beans!" Some of the younger ones showed their full plates to their parents, who clapped their hands.

They all ate so much Kamek had to make a new batch. When he finally thought it was over, he sat down on the frying pan's handle for a breather. A group of tribe elders came up to him and held out their plates. "Franks and beans!"

"Yes, yes; franks and beans. Didn't King Koopa feed you? You act like you've never seen food before."

"Much like you, then," Eudicot chuckled and joined him. While Kamek never thought he'd ever eat frank and beans again, his sister sat down with a giant helping. "Delicious," she said with her mouth full. "You're really starting to get a hang of the sauce."

By sunset, everybody was full. The food had made the Tribeskoopas calm down, and they were now wandering about, trying to find a bed.

"You know, Kamek, Mommy used to put us to bed every time we'd had a big dinner. We should build a pavilion where the Koopas can take a nap."

Eudicot took her winged wand, and Kamek found his; safely inside his shell. They joined forces in building a gazebo the size of a barn, out of twigs, leaves and mud. It would keep the wind out during the night, and the heat during the day. The Koopas enjoyed it, and the two siblings found that they were much easier to handle with when they were fed and watered.

"This will do until they can make their own houses," Kamek said as he prepared to organize the Tribeskoopas. "There's a clay pit on the other side of the river where they can make bricks and stoneware."

"If we build them a big kiln, we'll have a heat source as well as an oven to dry the bricks." Eudicot said to her diligent brother. "They can cook there and boil water for bathing."

Kamek nodded. "OK, everybody!" He shouted, so they would all hear him. "We are now going to split the group up in half and..."

"Go to war?" A Tribeskoopa interrupted.

The entire group separated in an unsettlingly straight line and grabbed weapons out of nowhere and pointed them. It was almost comical how the married couple holding hands the one second suddenly had spears to each other's heads the other.

"We war now! Great pixie in blue dress show us way!"

"No, no, no, no! Nobody's going to war on each other! We're just splitting you up to ease the head count. This half can go to my sister, and that half can come with me." Kamek directed them, and they followed his orders without hesitation or protest. It seemed as if obeying gave them the sense of security that was so important to them.

A week later, the very effective and hard-working Koopas had made enough bricks to build an entire village. The first thing they constructed was a house for Eudicot.

"We build house as thank you," the primitive-talking Koopa foreman said. "You happy be there."

"Thank you very much," Eudicot said and curtsied again.

"Kamek live in bigger house with good wife we found for him." The three tribe elders nodded their heads majestically. Kamek himself, who had been enjoying his afternoon tea, choked on the beverage as he sat on his hovering broom. "What?"

"Bring bride out," the tiny, green-shelled Koopa with the long beard waved his walking stick.

The "good wife" the elders had chosen was a Koopa girl a little younger than Kamek. She had naïve, dark eyes, a red shell, and a purple bow in her green beanie which she wore to feel pretty.

"This be Clove. Tomorrow wedding. She of good family, make house work and be docile." That's how they defined a perfect woman in the Reactor Galaxy.

Kamek offered Clove his hand. She took it in both hers with a little smile.

"So… You're name is Clove. That's a pretty name."

Her smile widened and she squinted happily.

"What's the matter?" Kamek asked. "Can't you talk?"

Obviously, that was painful to her, and shameful, she shook her head. You see, where she was from, there were only a few Koopas who taught others how to talk, and they didn't waste their time and talent on girls.

Kamek didn't know this and pretty tactlessly grumbled: "Great. Not only am I getting married, but I find out my soon-to-be wife can't even talk."

Clove wasn't hurt on her own behalf; but on Kamek's. That's how she had been raised.

And that's how she wanted to spend her life; being good; making house work.

After all, that takes a woman.


	7. That Koopaling Show

**Springtime will be here soon, dear friends, if you can hold on a little longer. Here's some sunshine (and a little rain, too) while you wait ^^**

* * *

><p>The day before the Toad Town's annual Solstice Celebration the Koopalings were going through crates in Kastle Koopa's basement, looking for ideas.<p>

"I think there are more crates in the dungeon," Larry said. "After y'all moved out King Dad turned it into a shed."

The dungeon; the time-out space where they had been sent when misbehaving, was the same as it had always been, but now also a real trip down memory lane.

"Sheesh; I think I must have spent like five years put together down here," Morton said as he put his now much bigger hand over the handprint of his six-year-old self.

"Me too," Ludwig replied. "Still it wasn't so bad. I don't know why. Do you guys remember what we did to make our time down here go faster?"

In a blink of an eye they were all sitting around an old wood coil, getting toasted from whatever substance was sending fumes from a brass incense burner. The only thing missing was a studio audience.

"You know, I got rich from peddling this stuff, and then Princess Peach put me in rehab." Iggy smiled, and the scene panned to Morton.

"She's got purty legs." He chuckled like a moron. "Mammals are _so_ gross."

Lemmy looked a little spaced out before realizing it was his turn. "Whachoo say bout mah mama? Cause that's mah lingo."

"Geeks don't use lingo," Roy said with a big crooked smile.

Lemmy's eyes sailed in different directions. "Shut up, fathead." He mumbled fuzzily.

"Don't call me..." Roy started dribbling and fell asleep.

"Hey; I got an awesome idea for a new opera," Ludwig's face brightened up with a big, dopey smile, and he held up his claws in awe. "Generation X – The Morons Are Still Out There."

"Dang, dude, that's a stupid idea." Larry retorted, but the next second he started laughing. "But I'll buy a ticket."

"Me too," Wendy O. looked back at the gorgeous being in her mirror. If she had any idea who that was, she would just die if she didn't get the number to their stylist. "If it premiers after I've recovered from surgery."

"I've seen your nip and tuck check-list, Kootie Pie," Morton droned. "Liposuction, rhinoplasty, ribectomy; what the hell kind of a doctor would condone such a thing?"

Iggy grinned jovially and shook his fist in a happy gesture. "An _American_ doctor!"

The door to the dungeon was flung open, and Bowser was standing there. He was not happy.

"There you awful offspring are! I've been looking all over for you; you were supposed to join me and Junior on a sightseeing of the Mushroom Kingdom!"

Roy got up from the table a bit fast, so he wobbled. "We're sorry Ding Bat – I mean, uh, King Dad. We were just rimming… lemming… Lemmy…"

"Reminiscing," Ludwig corrected him. "That's the name of the first act."

"That's so touching," Larry burst out in tears. "Let me hug you, brother!" The two embraced each other like spouses after being separated by war. Bowser's red eyes fell on the burner. He picked it up and sniffed it.

"Eww, that's Limerence! I _told_ you to lay off the crush!" He roared.

Iggy took the thing and hurled it out the window. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. But it's gone now, and you'll never see it again."

"I'd better not," Bowser warned him, "Or else I'll never again see my foot out of your ass!"

Through the fog, literally, Morton had a realization. "Oh, I've seen that show before!"

King Koopa exited the dungeon. "Kamek! Kamek, where the hell are you? Arrghh, sometimes I think that wizard's on dope! Kamek! KAMEK!"

* * *

><p>The sorcerer was sitting on his bed, undergoing a health check by Medikoopa, his friend and the only Medikoopa not afraid of Bowser or his Troop. He had been feeling out of sorts lately.<p>

"So what is it? Am I anemic?"

Medikoopa measured Kamek's heart rate. "Insomnia, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, headaches, nausea…" he put these notes onto a floating patient's chart in shorthand. "You are severely depressed. This is very serious; in fact it's the worst case I've seen in years."

"This has got to be a mistake," Kamek shook his head.

Medikoopa stared him right in the face.

"I don't make mistakes. What's bothering you?

Magikoopas are highly intelligent and spiritual beings so to them, depression is like a cancer; just as deadly and difficult to treat. First it poisoned their mind, and then it killed them.

"I don't know," Kamek lied. Of course it's impossible to lie to a Medikoopa; they always recognize liars. But their ancestor Eudicot's ability to read minds had long been bred out of them.

The Koopa physician took the sorcerer's hand. It was cold and pale.

"Your magic is already leaving you, Kamek. If you won't let me help, then the grave awaits you."

"What must I do?" Kamek sighed.

Medikoopa was very relieved. "First, you need a long vacation. I'll find someone to cover for you."

Eighteen years earlier a worker's union formed by the Koopa Troop had ensured their right to sick leave.

"I don't have time for that! And _you_ haven't tried caring for Bowser these days, or his youngest son. If I have to sail the Doomship one more time I will lose my mind."

"I don't recall saying this being optional for you, Kamek. I can't let my patients be a danger to themselves. It's either a vacation, or hospitalization."

Medikoopa didn't like being strict, even if the situation called for it. "Don't worry. A few weeks at The Hub will benefit you greatly. Get some rest; meet some new people. Your powers will return to you in time, I promise."

For a moment Kamek's eyes fell on the wingless back of his friend. Wingless… yet he could fly. How unjustly convenient. He remembered that Medikoopas without wings are looked upon with the highest regard among their own, as it is a sign that they have successfully "fluttered"; had offspring.

He remembered other things, too.

* * *

><p>Clove stopped polishing the window glass to inspect her wedding ring. It was pretty; in gold and everything. She was very proud of it; it was a sign of her womanhood, and she liked being the object of jealousy among the other girls.<p>

Her husband came home, so she dropped everything to greet him in her own, silent way.

"Hi," Kamek mumbled as she took his coat and kissed him; on the cheek as he turned his face away. She didn't mind being rejected anymore; after all, he was above her.

Kamek was very fond of his wife. His problem with her was that she could neither talk nor write, and didn't know what sign language was. Eudicot had examined Clove and found that the reason for her muteness was most likely psychological, as she had a larynx and vocal chords; although undeveloped as a result of generations of selective breeding. King Koopa simply didn't want females to express themselves.

She made a peculiar gurgling to express her wish that he joined her by the living room fireplace. They sat down, and she cleansed her throat several times.

"Are you not feeling well, dear?" Kamek felt her forehead, but she just concentrated before pointing to herself.

"C… C-Clov—v-v-ve," she stuttered. Kamek could have sworn she had just said her own name.

"C-Clo-o-o-ve. C-Clove. Clove."

"Oh my stars; you talked!" Kamek took her hands; he was proud of her. She smiled mysteriously and found a pen from her shell. "Clove," she repeated, and wrote on his hand with ginger movements. Not only did she talk, she even had a warm, sweet voice.

Clove… loves… Kamek. Repeat. Cl-Clove loves Kamek. Repeat. Clove…" she wrote, "loves Kamek."

It was almost as if the word "Repeat" cleaned a slate within and made it more comfortable to write, like chalk when used on a damp blackboard. So one of the village's teachers must have trained her in secret. Kamek was very touched by this and nuzzled her. "Why, Kamek loves Clove too."

"Wri-i-i-te," she said cleverly and held her own hand out. Kamek did write, and it tickled. In fact it tickled so much she had to kiss him a little. That tickled _him_ so much that _he_ had to hold her a little closer.

"You know what?" He asked her as she smiled back at him. "You have the prettiest name in the whole world."


	8. The Summer Solstice Apocalypse

**This is a Bowser Jr. – chapter. Man, the little guy loves your attention! And mine; he never stops talking! Then again, he's had an interesting life; full of adventure and sugar. This year the character Jr. turns ten years old. We should make him a cake. What do you think; vanilla or chocolate? Maybe he'd like unlimited access to the cookie jar in the Kastle Koopa kitchen. Anyway, for Junior to please His Awfulness, he must sabotage the Princess' midsummer bash. Today's dessert is baked peach!**

**BTW: You do know that Medikoopas aren't canon, right? Just felt I had to point it out. In the beginning I only needed one to save the plot of my first Mario fic, and God, he was annoying. Guess he grew on me.**

**StoryMaster64: So, you think my use of the word "fluttering" is clever, huh? Is it because it sounds so much like *flatline***

* * *

><p>Of course, Bowser went ballistic when Kamek applied for a leave of absence. But the Kastle Koopa Worker's Union was breathing down his neck as it was, so he had no choice but to sign the form. Three weeks at The Hub, after giving Junior the grand tour of the castle. The little one had been looking forwards to this.<p>

"This is the portrait hall," the wizard explained. "Once powerful leaders or their family passes away, their paintings are removed from the vestibule gallery and up here."

"Who's that?" Bowser Junior pointed to an ancient rendering of a Koopa woman sitting in a chair facing the viewer, with a small secretive smile on her green face.

"That's Moana Koopa. She commissioned Kastle Koopa's dungeons and torture chamber." Kamek rubbed some dust of the brass tag on the frame.

"Oh. Who's _that_?" The Koopa child ran over to a much larger portrait of a Koopa woman in a spiky French hood and farthingale, which must have been a pain in her shell. If it hadn't been for her dress, you probably would have thought it was Bowser himself. A lanky, bespectacled Koopaling with a tall, scarlet Mohawk held her hand, scowling.

"Katherine of Koopa," Kamek hadn't been in the portrait hall in ages. "Next to her is her son, your great grandfather, Poopa la Koopa. Birth name, um, Igor."

"Wow," Junior said, full of admiration.

"This is an activity room for the young Koopas..." The sorcerer opened the door right next to the painting. Whatever his two colleagues were doing in there did not look kid-friendly.

"Yeah, go nuts on that gland!"

Kamek closed the door without delay. "I wish we hadn't seen that."

Bowser Jr. looked the nauseous, green hue appearing over the elderly Koopa's snout. "Oh, please; it's nothing you won't see in Miss Reishi's bonsai garden."

The door on the left side of Katherine of Koopa's painting was the right one. "So this is the right room. It's a lounge for Koopalings. You're entitled to use this room as often as you wish; I will have a day bed brought up for you."

Jr. noticed the seven stone beds, placed against the angled walls. Each was covered with a colorful quilt, which consisted of hand-embroidered patches depicting daily life at Kastle Koopa, the Koopalings and even Bowser himself. Junior's favorite was Lemmy's, as it had circus balls and Goombas with paintbrushes.

"Who made this blankie?" Bowser Jr. held it tight; it was so soft and almost cooling against this velvety cheek. "It couldn't have been the Koopalings; all _they_ do is breaking stuff."

"Their mother," Kamek said before thinking, and wished he hadn't. Junior was very sensitive when it came to the mommy issue.

"Their mommy? Where is she? Is she my mommy too?" Junior looked hopeful, with to Kamek was _awful_. Maybe at The Hub they could teach him to know when to shut up.

"She died a long time ago, dear." He might as well be honest. "Giving birth to Larry."

Or so the story went.

"OK." Bowser Jr. inspected the patches carefully. "Was she nice?"

Kamek took a look at the other end of the quilt, just to see if there were any torn seams to fix. "Oh, yes; she was the most gracious Koopa lady I've ever met in my life. You would have liked her."

"Would she have liked _me_?" Jr. asked. Kamek frowned; he had no idea the child's jealousy went that far.

Luckily, they were interrupted by Bowser. "Oh, there you are, Junior. Have you seen everything there is to see in my awesome castle?"

"Uh-huh," Jr. nodded enthusiastically. His father wasn't so bad; as far as old geezers were concerned. In fact, he was kind of cool.

The Koopa king took his son out on the balcony. "I reign over everything that's dark and everyone that is evil, just like us."

"You don't reign over Miss Reishi," Junior pointed out.

Bowser was known to throw little Koopas who talked back in the dungeon. But the little one had made a very valid point.

"No; she's _too_ evil," he mumbled. "You may wonder why I left you with her for so many years –"

"You were afraid your other kids would kill me. Kamek told me."

"Anyway…" Bowser struggled to keep his temper on a leash. "Someday, this will be all yours. My kingdom, my army, my castle and all my gold. If you pass this test, that is."

"Wow…" Junior's eyes sparkled in wonder.

"Don't be nervous; Iggy and Morton will help you. Remember what I learned you?"

"Yes, sir!" Junior straightened up. "To be mean and nasty, sir! To kick Mario in the dishpan, sir!"

"Good boy." Bowser kissed his son's forehead. "Do not disappoint me."

* * *

><p>Iggy and Morton had completely accepted responsibility as Junior's tutors. They waited for him on the Doomship's sun deck.<p>

"Lay it on me, brothers," Jr. said confidently and sat down on the stool provided.

"Now I never," Iggy bared his biting-happy teeth. Morton returned the smirk. "Looks like our program of systematic abuse has knocked some self-confidence into the little shrimp."

"Don't flatter yourselves _too_ much," Bowser Jr. sighed. "Tell me your plan."

Iggy opened the blackboard and pointed to a sketch of "faze one". "First the Goombas and the captain fill a hundred water balloons with stale oil paint. Then…"

"No, no!" Jr. shook his head. "The staleness of the oil paint is a nice touch, but if we used acrylic paint, it'd had better splatterability. The stains will never come out of their clothes! Or hair…"

Iggy was dumbstruck. Morton however just chortled. "Sheesh; l think we're getting too old for this, huh?"

Boom Boom, Bowser's henchman, captain and egg retainer, came pulling a crate of paint-filled balloons.

"Boom Boom want nap now! Boom Boom tired!" The large, surly Koopa threatened to pound the deck in frustration. It was funny how his vocabulary had shrunk as he grew up, and Iggy never resisted a chance to make fun of him.

"Boom Boom give wheel to Pom Pom!"

Luckily, the Koopa with fifty times as much brawn as brains didn't pick up on the sarcasm. He never did.

"Oh, I can't wait; I feel six months again!" Morton was all giddy, which was quite the spectacle. "Remember the time I "modded" all the Kastle Koopa chairs?"

Iggy made a dorky giggle.

"My ass can _still_ taste Koopa Shell!"

* * *

><p>Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, stepped up on the podium to light the annual bonfire.<p>

"Welcome everybody, to the 97th annual Midsummer Bash! It's so nice to see you're all here!"

The Toads clapped and jumped up and down while hooting.

"I'm happy to report that Koopa-related crime is down by eighty-seven percent," she announced.

"Times have never been better, Princess!" Her best friend, Mario Mario raised his cup of fruit punch.

"Toad Town rocks!" A Toad girl with long pink braids made the V-sign while jumping.

"Yeah!" Princess Daisy, Peach and Mario's mutual best girlfriend said with a wide smile, and everybody else cheered again.

"You know something, faithful people?" Peach asked. "I think we've finally heard the last from Bowser Koopa."

Out of nowhere, a balloon hit the podium she was standing on, and covered her shoes in blue paint.

"You always pat yourself on your back _way_ to early, Princess!"

Everybody looked up. It was Morton Jr. and Iggy Koopa on a floating piece of floor, with a paintball- filled canon. They were assisted by a Koopa Kid with a bandana over his snout.

"Fire in the hole!" the "Koopa Kid" shouted and breathed a fireball on the canon's fuse.

Their first round hit the snack table, splattering a cocktail of whipped cream, paint and vegetable kebabs over the bystanders, who screamed and cringed. Bowser Jr. reloaded the canon and aimed it at Peach, who made a series of curious dance moves to avoid the colorful projectiles as they splashed against the unlit woodpile, the ground, and the pillars.

"I just love being mean!" Bowser Jr. laughed. No; _this_ was entertainment!

"That's what we always say!" Iggy said and immolated a Bob-Omb before hurling it on the pile of junk and wood pieces. Mario and Luigi, who had their plungers and prepared to attack the Koopalings, suddenly got bigger fish to fry.

Iggy created a diversion. He jumped in front of the plumbers and smacked his rear end. "I'm right here; come and get me, you thirty-something sea cucumbers!"

In the meantime, Peach had been trapped by burning debris, and had nowhere to jump or run.

"Mario! Luigi! Save me!" She cried. Junior tied a rope to their floating platform; and swung himself, grabbing her as he got close. "I'm super bad! And you're very heavy!"

Princess Peach screamed in terror, and Jr. provided her with a soft landing; right in the cake.

Iggy's tail wasn't really long enough to do any damage, still, taking it to his gut really hurt, and Luigi needed a second to regain his breath. Mario charged at the Koopaling. "You're going back to the nuthouse where you belong you scaly maniac!"

The green-haired Koopaling just laughed even harder, and crazier.

Junior yanked the rope from the platform, and ran around the brothers so fast they never knew what hit them, until a paint balloon did, and they found themselves tied together around a flagpole.

The Koopalings took a second to inspect Jr.'s masterpiece. It was a pretty picture rendered in chaos and complete destruction. Paint everywhere, hundreds of Toads suffering shellshock, the Princess covered in genoise, and the brothers bound like pigs.

"Groovy," Morton said with a grin. "Welcome to the family, brother."

Iggy put his hand on Bowser Jr.'s shoulder; even smiled at him. The little one couldn't wait to get home; his father would be so proud of him!

He then looked at the remaining part of Peach's snack table. Yum; cookies.


	9. Geminitems

**StoryMaster64: Thank you for the long and thorough review ^^ People have much to learn from you. By people I mean especially me. If you'd indulge my ego I would very much like to know what you found creepy about YR. (I find the story blander than a dime store romance). No, you didn't hurt my feelings. I'm both blessed and cursed with a very thick skin. But I'll follow your advice and work my stories toward happier endings from now on.**

**Yes, this is Kamek's very own chapter. Why he has to share the story with Jr. will be revealed very soon. I never knew I'd love writing for him as much as I do, or that you would respond as positively as you have done. I was afraid you'd call it insipid or stupid. So this chapter goes to you. And I even put in your favorite word. Please note: Some of _my_ favorite words will also appear, and some of them are not pretty.**

* * *

><p>He could easily have teleported to The Hub, but actually preferred to ride his broom instead; it was a scenic trip over the mountains. Also on that route he got as close to a place outside his reach as possible.<p>

In a different time, Kamek and Eudicot, rulers of Petalburg sat in their high seats studying the monthly log.

"There were born ten new subjects this month," Kamek said, very pleased. "The village is growing."

"There is also an influx of Kuribons seeking asylum," the scroll-carrying Koopa girl explained. She was the twin ruler's shared best friend. She was very kind, helpful, reliable… However, she seemed to suffer from a mind disease for which Eudicot had no cure.

Shelly checked her notes again. "I counted twenty heads. Buttwipe!"

"Thank you, Mme. Shelly," Eudicot said. "Make them meet with us tomorrow night. They can stay in the pavilion until then. See to that they are fed."

"Certainly, Madame." She clenched her fists as her eyelids twitched. "I'll kill you bitches!"

Kamek waited until Mme. Shelly had left before speaking. "Sister, I really wish you'd discuss the matter of asylum applicants with me before allowing them in."

Eudicot looked him in the face and raised her eyebrow, like only Medikoopas can. "Kamek, it's not a matter of finances or land; we have more than enough for everyone. Besides, I've seen into the Tanooki Stream."

The Tanooki Stream was a little river running through the siblings' castle, where those with magic could use it as a window to see the outside world.

"What did you see?" Kamek asked.

"That the Mushroom World is not as safe as it used to be. Mother would have wanted us to help the needy."

Eudicot was right; the world was not just a Garden of Eden these days. Humans had arrived, and also there was a rumor that a terrible military leader had built a castle for himself and his family in the Eastern Fireland; called Dark Land by the Koopas. Eudicot had not dared to look closer; she didn't know what this could mean to Petalburg.

Kamek had better news. "I've caught Clove trying to make a nest in our mattress three days in a row now. She's been a real chore after we fluttered."

The word made Eudicot burst out in a giggle. "Well, that's precious. You know, maybe she'll finally be enough at ease to lay her egg. Please tell me when she does, so I can come and see."

Koopa mothers aggressively watches their eggs, and any males, even their companions, risk attack by getting too close the first couple of days after laying. Many of Eudicot's male protégés had the scars to prove it.

"That's why I wanted to talk to you about it." Kamek shifted in his seat. "It's not a big secret that my wife can't say much."

Clove was still learning. Her vocabulary, her own name not included consisted of "Hungry", "Love", "Kamek", "Egg", "Sleep", and "Glass" ("Thirsty"). She could even modify the nouns she knew.

The Medikoopa girl had delivered so many Goombalings, Shy Kids and Koopa eggs she didn't mind helping her sister in law. She had yet to see a complicated Koopa birth; most of the time the frightened mother just needed someone to guide her through it.

And just as Eudicot had foreseen, Clove was sitting on her knees in the torn-up mattress (although she had been careful not to ruin Kamek's side. The healer flitted over to her and immediately caught her eye. At the hospital patients suffering major trauma or diseases found the very sight of Medikoopas soothing, as they are tiny and have a charming appearance.

"You have done very well, honey." Eudicot was careful not to move too close while correcting her sister-in-law's sitting position. "Now relax."

Clove whimpered pitifully, and her eyes teared up.

"The egg won't be laid if you're straining; you'll only be in more pain."

"No, no!" The Koopa girl shook her head. "Egg!"

Eudicot took Clove's hands carefully in her own to keep her from violently grasping her weak belly. "You'll be holding the egg in minutes. It'll be like a football and as white as the moon."

"Egg," Clove nodded, and it appeared as if she was relaxing.

"Good." the Medikoopa smiled cordially. "Now I'm gonna count to five, and you're gonna take three deep breaths."

It didn't take long. "Ooh!" Clove exclaimed and she felt a rush of happy endorphins, like all Koopa mothers do when the egg is out.

"First class job," Eudicot praised her, and carefully took the shimmering white egg in her hands to feel it. The Mageling inside was approximately twelve inches long and weighed about a pound. At least Kamek had given his wife enough to eat.

Clove was so smitten with her perfect egg she curled up in the nest and blissfully said "Egg" one more time while clutching the unhatched Mageling.

"We better leave her alone for a while. She'll want to show you later." Eudicot took her brother's arm and lead him out to the town square, where the sun was setting behind the trees, and sat on the tall stone columns by the fireplace that were always reserved for them, while discussing the future. Kamek had no idea of the secrets Eudicot was keeping from him; after they had grown up and no longer as near as they used to be, he found that the thoughts active in his sister's mind became increasingly harder to grasp.

* * *

><p>"So that's your happiest memory?" Dr. Wizenheimer asked.<p>

After having his wand eaten by Yoshi, Wizenheimer graduated in psychology from Our Hag of Petalburg Medical School and was hired by Countess Reishi to take care of the bothered ducklings who sought shelter at her Hub from time to time. Because of that he wasn't as mean or despicable as usual these days.

"It most certainly is," Kamek sighed as he rested limply on the head doctor's couch. "Or it used to be. These days all things I used to hold dear are like ash."

"Hm. Well, Master Kamek, you are most welcome to stay here; in fact I encourage you to. Feel free to be social. The younger Magikoopas will be holding a convention next week, and you are welcome to attend, if your condition allows for it."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Wizenheimer wasn't quite ready to end the admission meeting. "You told me that what you treasure have turned to ash. Does that include your _worst_ memory?"

Kamek was petrified by this question. "That… is indestructible." He felt a sore lump paralyzing his words, and he clenched his claws. "I… I…"

"It's alright," Wizenheimer was now used to traumatized Magikoopas. He had been one. "There is nothing to fear in this room. Please continue."

"This is where I bargain in my dreams, Doctor. If the plan hadn't occurred to me, the darkness would never have reached us. So many things were lost because of my weakness."

* * *

><p>Eudicot and her brother had been raised to venerate the stars and considered them the guiding light of their lives. That's why they met at the Petalburg Square every evening to gaze upon them. But this night, for some reason, the very young Magikoopa was preoccupied with other matters.<p>

"Kamek o Kamek, to where is your mind wandering?" She teased.

Kamek formulated the words in his head. "If it's true that the world is changing for the worse, if only for a period of time, we will need more protection than what foot soldiers and scouts can provide. We have the power, but we're not immortal anymore."

"Mother said we would still live long…" Eudicot rarely have the time to muse upon her past; she was always busy. Training Medikoopas without their own magic was difficult.

"But not forever," Kamek interjected. "We should ensure that when we die, our powers will live on. We need to build solid vessels for them; much like our territory for the people."

His sister averted her gaze and looked despondent for a moment. "Did you dream this?"

Kamek frowned and then took Eudicot's hand. "I know inside that our bond will be rejuvenated by these vessels. Grown-up or not; I will never abandon you."

The next day Eudicot went for a flying trip across the sea, where she took a dive on instinct; finding gems at the ocean floor. She took a pound of gold and had it melted into the frame of a handheld mirror. The gems, a ruby, an emerald, a sapphire and a yellow diamond were placed on the North, East, Southern and Western side on the gold oval. She held the finished staff in her hands and said, loud and clear: "With this I make certain that the power of healing will always be found in our world."

The village people dubbed it the Staff of Eudicot, and everybody thought it was beautiful.

Kamek sat down on his knees and gathered a handful of sand. "In this barren earth I bury the burdens of the innocent and pardon our enemies."

His inner magic reacted with the sand, and rendered it into a glass item that looked like a compass rose, although it only counted the directions seen from the planet's core and outwards. Kamek didn't give his vessel a name, but the Koopa elders referred to it as the Oog Tar, roughly meaning "that which absorbs folly"; as their clouds of dementia seemed to lighten when they touched it.

Kamek's item was much more powerful than his sister's; every villager could feel it. Still, without Eudicot's healing staff, it meant nothing. One day Kamek found that for some reason the Oog Tar fit perfectly in the oval frame on his sister's staff. He took it down from the shrine to show her, when the sun hit the gems and also the Oog Tar.

The staff emitted blasts of magic, which hit the Koopa villagers, and also some of the Goombas; giving them wings.

When the dust had settled, the twins inspected everyone. Kamek sat down by a Koopa boy who had lost his glasses and was feeling the ground to find them.

"Oh, no; they're broken!" The boy exclaimed as he saw them. He then lifted the specs up, only for them to repair themselves…

"Magically," Kamek said in wonder.

Apart, the twins' power vessels were naught. But when Kamek joined them together, he had accidentally transferred some of their powers to the other Koopas.

"This is so awesome," another boy chuckled and climbed up a boulder. "I'm magical!" He then jumped; thinking he could fly, but only landed on his rear end looking surprised at everyone.

"Go ahead," Eudicot said to her brother with a smile on her snout.

Kamek helped the young man up. "Powers or no powers… Magikoopas cannot fly!"


	10. Kamek's Old Flame

**SM64: I thank you for your patience and commend your honesty. Like Jason Bateman's character in **_**DodgeBall**_** says: "We just don't see it nowadays". In the YR case it was an attempt at a more complicated story-telling technique by imagining a long and intricate story and then have Ludwig the composer retelling his version of the events. And what would fascinate the insane more than insanity? I see now that it was a bad idea, because the focus veered in the direction you explained. And I apologize for the sex and death thing. I don't mind it myself, as long as it's not mixed together, and I didn't know it was that explicit. About Speedy's death… I knew even before naming the character that she would sooner or later have to die. Actually it made it hard for me to "get too close" to her. I can revise this story and make some improvements, if you'll let me make use of some of your ideas to humanize the Koopa culture portrayed, instead of wasting the readers' time. Thank you in advance.**

**Kammy makes an appearance in this chapter! She remembers something her old flame seems to have forgotten. Let's see what it is.**

* * *

><p>Bowser wandered in his castle. It was a completely different place; like it had been when all his children were little and there had been no troubles, just him, his big loving family and their modest, but adequate piece of land.<p>

It was one of those rear days when the heat lighting let some sunshine in, and it fell on the painted faces of the past great leaders of the Koopa Troop, their gentle wives and detestable children.

As a child Bowser had been told many stories of his grand and adored ancestor; Koopa, from the time when he reigned in the Reactor Galaxy, which was abandoned long before Bowser was born. Of course, when one is raised like a Koopa king, important and dangerous truths had been left out.

"You did awesome today, Bowser Jr." For some reason Bowser loved using his son's whole name.

"Thanks, King Dad." Junior held Mr. Muffin over the covers as he was tucked in. The more and more time they spent together, the more the little one let himself admire his father, and that there was nothing wrong in looking just like him. Still there was a question he would like to an answer to.

"King Dad?" he asked. "Why don't I have big sharp teeth like Four Eyes or Big Mouth?"

Honestly, that was not the question Bowser had been expecting.

"Son, you're just a kid now. But if you follow my orders and never betray me, I promise you that you will get just as many teeth as your brothers and sister."

"Really?" Jr. was even more uplifted, although he was very, very tired.

Bowser tousled his son's red hair. "I swear. But little kids who want to become great big Koopas need a lot of sleep."

The word made Jr.'s eyes impossible to keep open. "OK. Good night, King Dad."

Bowser put out the torch above his son's bed. "Good night, little apple."

He exited the bedroom, but left the door opened a crack. After all, Bowser had been afraid of the dark as a Koopaling.

Medikoopa had found someone to take over for Kamek; one that had assisted the Koopa king before.

"… So that's my plan. I know it will work." Bowser sighed in contentment, and then looked at his temporary caretaker. "Kammy? Are you even listening to me? KAMMY!"

The lady jumped in her seat; she was snoozing over her knitting project. Kammy was a Koopa sorceress who, while still very powerful and handy, not as young as she once was.

"Of course, Your Awfulness, I'm right here." She frowned. "What's the question again?"

"There's no question, you senile dandelion! I said that I'm leaving it all to my youngest son. Everything."

"That's very generous of you. May I ask what the Koopalings have to say about it?"

Of course Bowser hadn't told them anything; not of his plans to make Junior his successor, or the massive trust funds they had coming.

"They are very independent, Your Heinousness; with a lot of resources and friends," She warned him. "If you fall out of favor with them, you'll end up with some very powerful enemies."

Bowser thought of Roy's two children. "Don't worry your grey head, Kammy. If they rebel, I have leverage."

The sorceress took out a fresh ball of yarn and continued working. "I see. Well, I did what you wanted and examined your son. There's no sign of aggression, mental illness, heart disease or loose cuticles that's very prevalent in your family. He's one of your healthier children, maybe just as fit as Prince Lemmy."

"Excellent. Next summer he will assist me in my newest plan." Bowser bared his teeth in a cruel smile.

"Plan? What plan?" Kammy looked up from her sweater.

"The plan where I know that Mario and Peach visits Isle Delfino every summer," Bowser pointed to a map on the stone wall. "If I train my son for a year, _Mario_ is the one who'll have powerful enemies. Peach will fall, and her kingdom will be mine. Maybe I'll even make her my wife. I'm gonna need someone at the end of a stressful day to… You know, take my mind off things." He smiled even wider. "By the way, you did a nice thing for Kamek by taking over his duties, even though you don't owe it to him."

Kammy remembered her last date with Kamek. It had been a night to remember; it had been before the construction of Petalburg was finished. Wow, it really was long ago.

"I'm sorry, Kamek, but I'm not ready for a serious relationship. You're too young for my taste anyway." her twenty three year old said. "Does it help if I say you're a very special Koopa?"

"You don't love me!" Kamek burst into tears and buried his face in the tablecloth. "I wanna _die_!"

"I think I do," her elderly self said to Bowser.

* * *

><p>The real reason why Kammy didn't want to make a commitment to Kamek back then was that in reality she was one of Koopa's scouts. Sooner or later Kamek would ask both himself, and in turn her why she couldn't set foot in the Gemini's village and blow her cover. King Koopa knew that somewhere on the tiny and seemingly insignificant Mushroom Planet a source of unmatched power was hiding, ripe for his picking. Kammy had looked high and low among the many native populations, and was certain she could find it. Unfortunately for her master, she didn't possess magic powers or psychokinesis. But after studying those coming in and out of Petalburg for a long time, who were very talkative by the way, Kammy realized that her fling not only was one of the village's rulers, but a Gemini; one of the two Star Children.<p>

Koopa's only method of divination was hieromancy; the reading of inner organs. He had run out of rats and birds on his Airship, which was why he turned to an alternative source.

"Your Grimness!" The general of the Troop approached Koopa; very annoyed. "The subject is resisting our attempts to read his guts!"

"Does it look like I care? Because I don't. Slice him open!"

"I'm terribly sorry, but if the source is distressed or intoxicated the prediction will be inaccurate."

Koopa grumbled. "I need to find out if the Gemini are hiding here"! Well, I suppose we're gonna have to try a different angle."

He entered the state room where the "clairvoyants" had bound one of the Troopas to a slab, intent on reading his innards, and approached him. The private was shaking in terror.

"Good afternoon, most trusted Private Koo," he said with a smile as if the other had been seated at a street café.

"K-King Koopa," Koo sobbed.

"As you were. I hear that you're finding your task difficult. Now let me make you an offer."

Koopa took the horrible three-foot blade in his claw unseen. "By fulfilling your duty, you'll ensure our common victory. This is a chance for you to show your valor and your loyalty to me personally; to accomplish something greater than yourself… and even me."

"Really?" Private Koo's face brightened up ever so slightly.

"I guarantee it." However, Koopa, like all his descendants, was full of lies. It was enough to reassure Koo, who took deep breaths and seemed to accept his tragic, pointless fate. Koopa knew how to read a subject without making a mess, and positioned the weapon while Koo closed his eyes.

"King Koopa!" He was interrupted by another private who flung the door open.

"What is it?"

"It… It's Kammy Koopa, Your Dreadfulness. She says she has found your magical twins."

Koo's life was spared that day. He escaped to Bean-Bean Hamlet, where he would spend the rest of his days.

Kammy waited for Koopa on the bridge. He lumbered towards her. "I hope for your sake that you were successful this time, girl," he grumped.

"Yes, sir. I found one of the Star Children. The most powerful one. He is residing in a secret village with his sister and a populace of Koopa sorcerers. They call themselves Magikoopas."

"And the Geminitems? Have you seen them?" Koopa was almost giddy.

"No, but I know they're there. They're why the village is impossible for me to penetrate."

Koopa's expression changed in a heartbeat. "Imp… You mean we can't go in there? Then HOW are we going to conquer them?" He grabbed her, intent on shaking her to relieve his frustration.

"Not to worry, Your Viciousness!" She desperately cried out. "They're holding this festival next month and the gates will be opened for everyone. We'll be able to enter unseen."

"Oh, Kammy… We don't need to be bashful if we're invited." Koopa sat down in his seat. "I think they would want us to feel at home."

* * *

><p>Kammy had good reason to hide this memory from Kamek, who sat in Reishi Linh's library looking out on the distant mountains.<p>

He didn't know that Roy Koopa had come to visit him either. As big of a difference it was from the other schemes in the Royal family, it was no secret that Roy _hated_ Reishi; even calling her "the evil empress" growing up.

"'Morning," he grunted as he saw the wizard seated by the window. "Kamek? Can you hear me?"

Kamek appeared to be in a stupor, and he was, using the rest of his vanishing magic to grab a hold of the memory that over the centuries had been veiled in cobwebs and dust for his own sanity and survival.

"It's me, Roy." The Koopaling waved his hand in front of Kamek's eyes, but he still didn't react.

"Fine," Roy answered himself, and lifted the sorcerer into his arms. "If you're gonna lose your marbles, fine. Just not in this Hell House." He carried Kamek out, heading for his Airship. "I have plans for you."


	11. Promise part I

**SM64: I don't usually give away the ending; I hate when people do that. I love the way you write Kamek in A Day in Life. Here is so down to Earth and well, infinitely patient; sweet too. He wasn't doing quite as well when I last checked on him. He has just given up hope. Let's see how he is feeling today.**

* * *

><p>It was a bright and early Friday morning as Bowser Jr. and Sr. entered Kastle Koopa's own golf course.<p>

"Son," Bowser said as he finished tee-ing up. "There are two rules to a perfect game. First, there are no rules. Second, don't ever touch my sand wedge."

Jr. looked at his father's unusual golf ball. "Is that a cue ball?"

"Hey! Who's the teacher here?"

"Sorry."

Bowser hit the ball perfectly, but it was too heavy and smashed a hole in the nearby greenhouse's wall. Larry Koopa swore.

It was Junior's duty to keep track of the results, so he opened _King Koopa's guide to golfing_ to find the score list.

"King Dad? These instructions make no sense; the scores don't even have any numbers in them!"

Bowser scouted after his ball. "You can _count_? Let's not rub that in anybody's face." He took over the book, and Junior sat down on a rock to listen.

"_These_ are the scores for people with brains, like us. "Cool beans" is eighty yards and up. "Cruisin'" is sixty to eighty. "Warming up" is forty to sixty, but everything below that is…"

"'Consarn this piece of crud' right?" Junior asked, wanting to recoil at the embarrassingly old lingo.

"Yes, it is. Because it's never a Koopa's fault if he loses. The same tenets go for amount of strikes." Bowser tried again, this time aiming for a "Cool beans". Instead he hit one of the ten exercising Hammer Bro's right in the mouth. "Perfect!"

"Ah mah 'Awd! Mah heeh! Mah huhin' heeh!"

"Your fault when you won't clean up this hellhole!" Bowser said nonchalantly.

"Uh, King Dad? I think he's dead." Junior got up from the rock.

"Ah, you're very lucky, son." Bowser pretended like he hadn't heard anything. "Everybody in our family has a thousand miles of _green_ running through their veins. Or so my grandfather said; the senile old moron. His first golf course was a welcome mat and a Dixie cup."

Junior had read another important rule in King Koopa's golf book; to pretend that he was alone when it was his turn. He managed a Cruisin' without horribly maiming any innocent bystanders.

Their practice took them all around the course until all the holes, both natural and unnatural, each had a ball in them.

"OK; what's my score?" Bowser took a breather on Junior's rock. His son carefully inspected the cards.

"You have three _Warming_ _up_'s, four _Cruisin_'s, and two _Cool Beans_ all with a _Cruisin'_ average."

"Any _Consarn this piece_ of _crud_'s?"

"Only one. You weren't supposed to use that Monty Mole for a ball."

What was it with this Koopa kid and rules? "And yours?

"Two _Warming up_s, five _Cruisin_'s and two _Cool Beans_ with a _Cruisin'_ average."

In the meantime, the sun had set behind the perpetual heat lightning, and it was colder. Bowser was hungry and Junior about to fall asleep, so he was carried back to the castle.

"You did awesome today." Bowser put him down on the threshold and took his hand before entering the castle with lumbering steps. "I'm sure you'll be the youngest golfer to ever win the Toadstool Tournament. No pressure, of course."

"Of course not." Bowser Jr. yawned. "I'm hungry now. I want cookies."

His father rolled his eyes. "Always with the cookies."

* * *

><p>Roy Koopa liked his life to be as quiet and uncomplicated as possible. He lived with his wife and two Koopalings far away from wars, military and darkness on a forgotten rock in Ireland. Roy loved Ireland for many reasons, but the ocean was definitely number one. He and his wife had built a home for their family with their bare claws from nothing more than rocks and driftwood. It was simple and by Koopa standards, very comfortable.<p>

On rainy days Roy and Lynnie sat in front of the fire place, either talking or listening to the radio, and when the weather was nice, they took their children to the beach and bathed all day in the crystal blue waters of the Atlantic.

Kamek had been at "Castle Roy" for a week, but other than leaving his room in the morning to sit on the cliff with the view of the horizon, he did nothing. By this time Roy had realized that Kamek wasn't going to reveal his big secret, so he bestowed upon the wizard his greatest act of kindness and compassion.

"So," Roy sighed and sat down. "What's up _your_ ass?"

Kamek was roused from his trance enough to tilt his head. It took him long to say anything, but he finally did after days of silence.

"You know, young Master Roy; I have followed the orders of both your father and your father's father; basically every self-absorbed, muscle-headed price bull who called themselves "King Koopa". I don't know why I've adopted being an underling and a sucker into my nature. I suppose it could be because obeying is easier than thinking, and it makes time go faster. However, sometimes I find it impossible…" Kamek added a bitter chuckle, "Not to sit down and _think_ of all my sins."

"What kind of _sins_ may those be?" Roy looked to the sky as Kamek waved his fist at it.

"Not too long from now, the Observatory will enter the Mushroom World's orbit."

"So what?"

Kamek groaned. "The Observatory is the home of my mother."

Roy raised his eyebrows all the way over the rim of his sunglasses. "_Your mom_ is still alive? What is she; a million?"

The sorcerer ignored that one. "Roy, if you really want me to pour my heart out, then I implore you not to tell your father or anyone else."

"OK, OK; I swear I won't snitch on you."

The peace and quiet of the Irish coast had finally let the memory long lost to him return. Kamek closed his eyes and saw his sister wave at him in the distance.

* * *

><p>The Goombas of Petalburg had prepared the little town for the first Star Festival. They had decorated all the houses with colorful paper flowers and lanterns floated in the air by themselves; inhabited a species Eudicot called "Pixls". They were at least the strangest creatures Kamek had ever seen; and he had a lot of nature's weirdoes since they built the town.<p>

Clove came out of the house carrying another load of party favors. Their little son came stumbling after her, so diligent and happy.

"Kroop be careful," she warned. "I repeat. No falling in sand."

"OK, mom," Kroop said and ran off to play with the other little Koopas. He was an adorable Koopa boy with green scales and a shell that looked like one big emerald. He had inherited Kamek's light-sensitive eyes, but had no need for glasses as he had grown bushy, red eyebrows as a protection. Clove had named their son Kroop; although she couldn't really give him an answer why. In her mute mind it probably meant something beautiful.

Eudicot got up on the stairs of the Gemini Temple and said into a paper megaphone: "Hello! Has anyone seen my brother?"

Everybody, over four thousand people, turned to Kamek, who was sharing a kiss with his wife. When he noticed the stares, he immediately straightened up.

"Oh, I'm sorry. We both are. We didn't mean to display such lewdness in public." He blushed in shame; he wasn't the first person you'd expect to be kissing in a crowd. They were all silent for two seconds, and then they all started laughing; even Eudicot.

"Yes, that was just a taste, if you'll pardon my choice of words, of tonight's entertainment. You all give a hand to my dear Kamek; my brother."

When the applause had died down, Eudicot resumed her speech. "So everyone, enjoy this lovely evening. We have enough snacks and beverages for a small country, so knock yourselves out."

Kamek raised his finger, though. "Just remember to meet up here before midnight; when Star Breeze* arrives."

After knocking back the first three drinks everybody made a circle around the big fire. A fire wasn't particular to the Star Festival; this was how the ancestors of modern-day Petalburg celebrated every gathering. But never before had there been more guests than that evening. Those who knew their way around an instrument made the outer circle, while the rest gathered inside. All the children danced around the Magikoopas, who conjured fireworks, as well as amusing and beautiful costumes on them.

_This is the time_

_This is the place_

_So we look for the future_

_There's not much love to go 'round_

_Tell me why this is the land of confusion!_

Clove, who loved Real World – music came happily skipping toward her husband wearing a curly glitter wig. She took his hands. "Come here. Dance, dance!" She pulled him into the crowd and a dancing circle, where everybody joined hands. The movement was intoxicating, liberating… And beyond sorrow.

Suddenly a bright light, even brighter than that of the bonfire tore the night sky. It took time for everybody to realize this was not another firework display and stand still.

"What's going on?"

"Is that the Observatory?"

Something big, clawed and spiky landed in the fire, and sent burning debris over the crowd. The creature roared.

Although everybody else were stricken with fear, Eudicot's initial impression was that it was a fashionably late guest who had miscalculated his landing, however, Clove gasped and hid behind an overturned snack table. Kamek followed suit. "What is it? Do you know who that is?"

"Koopa!" She whimpered. "Evil Koopa. Clove throw coal in oven… all day."

Kamek's eyes widened in terror, and then his eyes fell on his sister, who walked up to the vicious fiend.

"Excuse me!" She tapped King Koopa's calf; the highest reachable point for her. "You're ruining our fire!"

Koopa stepped down. "So!" His booming voice rung over the square. "This is where you traitors are hiding. In senior prom paradise." He kicked over the beverage stand and lumbered over to the Gemini Temple, while Eudicot struggled.

"Traitors? They're not traitors, there our people."

Koopa held her up to his ugly face. "'Our people?' Ah, you must be one of the Gemini."

"How did you know?"

The monster flashed his teeth. "You didn't think I would come looking for property that's rightfully mine? I also came for you, and your Geminitems."

How King Koopa could have known about the Staff and the Oog Tar was a mystery to Eudicot. The law clearly forbade Petalburgers to speak of them outside the walls of the village.

"You can never grasp the Items, Koopa. They are powerful in ways beyond you and the slime that spawned you."

King Koopa was used to that kind of insults from those who resisted him. "I see. Well, then you give me no choice, Your Highness. ATTACK!"

Goombas. First Goombas, then the Troopas, and Shy Guys jumped, flew and broke through the wall. This time the festivalgoers did panic, but they didn't get far before they were surrounded.

"You said 'our people', little twinkle-twin." Koopa took down one of the bird cages from the temple's roof and trapped Eudicot within it. "Where is your brother?"

She spat him in the face. Koopa then turned to his troops. "Search for the Geminitems! Burn everything to the ground if you must! And find the other Star Child; the one in blue robes! In the meantime…"

He carried the cage, intent on taking her to his Airship. "I'll be clever and bait myself a nice trap."


	12. Promise part II

**The rainiest chapter in the story. The next one will be nice and mushy to make up for it. Love you!**

* * *

><p>Roy gazed down on the beach where Lynnie was preparing to dive into the ocean. She would probably visit the sunken wreck a few hundred yards away to find more treasures. Last time she brought home a cauldron full of coins; but as they knew the currency wasn't valid; it was after all over five hundred years old, she used it to decorate her flowerbeds.<p>

"What happened next? Did you run away from town, or something?"

How typical of the Koopaling to expect treachery. The Magikoopa closed his eyes, and focused on the next memory.

Clove tried to keep their son quiet as Kamek made them hide in the fruit cellar, but she was so frightened herself she in turn had to be reassured.

"They will never find you here." Kamek gave them a couple of lamps and prepared to close and hide the door.

"Kamek, stay. Koopa is evil." Clove clutched his arm.

"I have to go after my sister. Please, just stay here and be still. Everything is going to be alright."

"No!" Clove shook her head, unraveling her bow. "Medicine fairy pig-head make Koopa go angry. Koopa kill you too." She burst into tears and collapsed into her husband's arm. He knew that memories too awful to speak of were resurfacing in her childlike mind, so he let her cry, holding her tight. She calmed down enough to say the first words she had learned.

"Clove loves Kamek." She wiped her tears on her husband's sleeve.

"And I love you. More than my own life."

Little Kroop waved his fingers, longing to be held by his parents, who then lifted him up.

"Egg," Clove said tenderly to Kamek while hugging her son. "Love is egg."

He nodded. "We can make another egg someday. If you stay down here safely."

They kissed one last time before he left the cellar. To find out where King Koopa had taken Eudicot, all Kamek had to do was following the path of destruction to the docked Airship a couple of miles outside the forest. He mounted his broom and begged he wasn't too late.

Eudicot cringed and panted after Koopa had hurled her into the floor. "I'll never tell you anything, you repugnant Sun-gazer."

Koopa placed his foot on her bleeding cheek and pressed down slowly. "How about now?"

"Leave her alone!" Kamek flung the door open and drew his wand. The Koopa king watched more in wonder than terror as a magic blast exploded half of the Airship's cockpit.

"On the other hand…" He snapped his claws. "I just got something much better."

The Magikoopas was ambushed by several Goombas, and his wand was taken. Without a proper conduit for his magic, it was hard to aim it, as Kamek was still very young and as such needed to rely on physical tools. Koopa did not know this, and none of his progenies does to this day. Kamek pretended to be afraid when his own wand was directed at him. The Goombas dragged him toward the slab where all prisoners of war were tortured into submission.

"Stop it!" Eudicot tore open King Koopa's grip and set course for her brother. She could smell the innocent blood staining the washed weapon and her only instinct was to save her brother.

"Thank you," Kamek said as Eudicot removed the ties and lifted him up to fly into safety. But King Koopa was faster as there was only one way out. He grabbed them, but Eudicot bit his knuckles so hard he relinquished Kamek, who fell to the floor. She tried to follow suit, but Koopa clenched his fist to restrain her.

However he used too much force.

The sound was awful. Her plastron was broken, as well as her sternum and fragile ribs. Eudicot felt pain, and for the very first time in her life she fully understood its power.

Koopa was also disgusted by the noise and dropped her like a piece of garbage. She turned her head and looked at Kamek, who crawled over to her.

"Eudicot," he whispered and rested her head on his knees.

"I can't breathe." She whimpered, and the gurgling sound of her breath was ominous.

"It's going to be OK, dear. I'll take you home and we'll heal this in a second…" Kamek swallowed hard to chase the lump in his throat.

Eudicot tried to smile. "It hurts. I'm so tired." Her eyelids drooped, and a thin stream of blood ran from her snout. "Kamek, please hold me. I have to sleep."

Kamek tried to keep her warm, but he couldn't do anything to save the life of his beloved sister. Her grip weakened around her brother's hand, and when all the grace of Rosalina had been drained out of her, she dropped it completely.

Kamek kissed the side of her mouth and teleported her body back to the Gemini Temple; where Koopa couldn't defile her again.

* * *

><p>Upon Koopa's return to Dark Land, Kamek was placed in the darkest, coldest and deepest dungeon of the king's castle. The wizard sat facing the corner, until a sight he had never expected tore the unforgiving darkness.<p>

Rosalina stepped out from her force field, and her glow of love and kindness melted the shadows.

"Mother," Kamek whispered. But he was feeling too guilty and ashamed to look her in the eye.

She sat down on the floor and reached her arms out to her child. "Son, please come to me. I will never harm you."

Kamek closed his eyes as she cradled him for the first time in so many years. He had almost forgotten that his mother was love itself; how warm and merciful she was.

"Where is Eudicot?" she asked.

"I – I don't know," Kamek lied, and Rosalina knew.

She held his cheek up with her finger to look him in the eye, but her face was not stern, but sad.

"You are lying to me. Your sister's blood is on your clothes."

Silent tears from her son moistened her shoulder. "I – I couldn't save her life. May – maybe I could have, but I had to get my wife and son into safety. I didn't get to her in time."

For a while, Rosalina comforted her son. While her loss had been beyond measure, Kamek had lost more still. Parts of his sister's soul had inhabited him from birth, just as his had belonged to Eudicot.

"I want to help you, my dear son. What can I do for you?"

Kamek didn't have to hesitate. "Koopa is still in search for the Geminitems, and he'll destroy Petalburg in order to find them. I wish for our city and people to be safe from his evil forever. That my family and friends will be protected and sheltered."

Rosalina took out her star wand, and decided to share a secret with her son. "For many years ago I also made a wish upon a star. Stars do not grant wishes for everyone; only those whose wish is selfless, and so genuinely felt by heart no evil can touch it." She paused.

"Evil and selfishness is so strong in this place it weakens my magic. For me to grant you this wish there is a terrible price to pay."

"Anything!" Kamek pleaded.

She lifted her wand. "From this day, Petalburg and all its inhabitants will be forever protected from war and malice. Evil cannot set foot within its borders. The powers of the Gemini shall linger there forever and bless everyone born or settling in the city." She paused. "In return, you, Kamek, shall belong to King Koopa and be like him for eternity. You can never see your loved ones again; only find them among the corrupted."

Rosalina let a shower of glittering stars rain over her son and said farewell to him before vanishing for good. Hours, seemingly seconds later, the door to the dungeon was opened, and Koopa himself dragged the Magikoopa up many stairs, before reaching a carpeted hallway. He opened one of the doors.

"This is your quarters now, Magikoopa. You can sleep here or in the dungeon, I don't care. I have something else to show you."

He took Kamek to his bedroom.

"My wife lay that one last night," he said as if he had simply wasted two Coins on a Scratch-And-Win. "Your first task as my personal caretaker is looking after _that _one."

The sleeping Koopa Queen, who had suffered complications during the laying, was partially concealed by the bed's curtain. Next to her was a big egg, which Kamek lifted up in his arms. He knew someone that could have helped Koopa's wife from fluttering through laying. At least he thought he knew. But it didn't matter. He took the egg with him to his chamber, intent on making a warm bed for it where it could hatch. Kamek decided to spoil this boy or girl, so he wouldn't be so lonely. He had been alone in that dungeon all his life, you know.

* * *

><p>The sun had almost completely set and the horizon was an orange and pink stripe sending melted gold into the water. Kamek was done with his story, and he sat on the stone bench with a blank face.<p>

Roy's however, was serious. "That's it? That's the most horrible thing you've done?"

"Yes." The wizard sighed. "The price I paid was awful, but for some reason I haven't given it a thought. I even liked being powerful and cruel."

The Koopaling frowned. "You do know that I hate Reishi, right?"

Kamek frowned also. "How is she related to this conversation?"

"Just listen. I think she's the most despicable, underhanded crone in the whole galaxy." He chuckled. "However, she's kinda my brothers' and sister's common inspiration. She wanted to be one of the good guys, only to be continuously rejected until King Dad kidnapped her. I've read the society pages. She's the richest Toad lady in the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Where are you going with this?"Kamek was a little irritated.

"This "horrible price" thing your _mama_ said? I think what she really did was granting your wish and rewarding you for the big sacrifice you made. I read both the society pages. You're kinda rich and famous too; and those greenhorns at Reishi's ranch? They worship you. I know my family's no picnic. We've given you a run for your money. But your memories would have returned to you sooner if you were unhappy."

"Then why now?" Kamek asked the question that really bothered him the most of all.

"You already know that. You said your _mama_ was coming? You miss her. And as for your family? You didn't abandon them. You gave your freedom for theirs, even though you became what the good guys so conceitedly label 'villain.'"

Outside Roy's son and daughter were making soap bubbles. Their father tenderly looked at them. "And I know, as a father myself, that I would have done exactly the same. That's _love_, man!"

"Love is terrible." Kamek sighed.

"Get used to it," Roy replied in his no-nonsense way.

The wizard didn't fully agree. "You're a hypocrite sometimes. I appreciate you and that you've finally grown up in, well, some respects, but still… Aren't you currently rejecting someone because of things they can't help?"

Roy raised his eyebrow. "Hm…"


	13. Don't Grow Up

**Last chapter. Let's check in on Bowser Junior and Kamek one last time, just to see how they are feeling ^^  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It was getting colder. The summer was almost over, and soon, snow would fruitlessly attempt to cover the volcano.<p>

Bowser Jr. leapt up, grabbed a hold of his father's upper arm cuff and sat on his old man's shell. It was his last day of his vacation at Kastle Koopa, and even though he was looking forward to seeing Miss Reishi again, this summer had definitely been the most fun he'd ever have.

"I'll miss you, son." Bowser stroked his little son over his flaming red hair. "Don't forget to train all winter, because next summer I'll need you for my next plan."

"I will."

"Don't grow up while you're gone," Bowser warned.

"I won't, King Dad."

The Koopa king made sure nobody were listening or watching before giving his son a hug, which he liked doing in secret. Junior was definitely rounder and softer around the belly than before, which his father also liked.

The Koopalings were also leaving. First to go was Larry, who had a bone to pick with the rest.

"Who kicked over my pet Spiny's cage? He almost ran off!"

"I did." Morton crossed his arms. "He called me fat!"

"Morton," Larry said grandly; "You _are_ fat."

"Oh."

Everybody laughed and they caught up with Junior.

"We have a little present for you." Wendy O. said, and Lemmy came carrying the gift box; which was two times his size.

"A… present? But it's not my birthday." Junior opened the box, fearing a mean prank.

But it wasn't full of paper snakes or cherry Bob-Ombs. Instead it was a home-made quilt; soft, warm and beautifully detailed.

"Wow…" Junior lifted it up. It had embroidered Cheep Cheeps, Rip Van Fish and Bloopers as well as underwater flora. They had worked in Jr.'s emblem as well; over a cookie.

"For me?" He looked at his siblings who all nodded. "_You_ made this? How?"

"We all watched our _Mama_ when she made these blankets. At least Lemmy and I saw a lot of it. Isn't that right, geek face?" Roy elbowed his brother's Mohawk; said elbow being the highest point Lemmy could reach.

"That's right, fat head."

Junior hugged the quilt. It was soft and smelled like cookies. Lemmy couldn't resist the urge to hug Jr.; he had had never had any problems with showing affection. "We really like you, but we can't always be here for you. We live other places now."

"It's OK." Bowser Jr. was so infatuated with the quilt it didn't matter, because he knew he had friends. He had never had any friends before.

"It's time to go, young sir." Kamek showed up in the courtyard. His magic wasn't strong enough for him to fly a broomstick just yet, but at least he looked more like a living Koopa than the last time they had seen him.

Roy waited alongside him while Bowser ordered the Hammer Bros around. The wizard looked up at the Koopaling.

"You have done so many lovely things this summer."

"Yeah, yeah," Roy said dryly. "Next thing you know I'll have my own shrine and feast day." He observed a moment of silence. "Kamek, I'm so sorry about your sister."

Kamek smiled and shook his head. "That's the thing with family. They never die inside of us. My sister is in a better place; I can feel it in my shell, but she doesn't want me to join her there just yet."

Roy saw his wife and children for his inner eye. They were eating crabs they had caught themselves and boiled over an open fire. It was an image he often found himself going back to when things were difficult.

* * *

><p>That night Kamek made himself a nice cup of his favorite tea and sat in his bed with a stack of books. He read about the ruins of the old Petalburg. According to history, the town was abandoned and rebuilt in another area after a famine, but that there supposedly was an ancient temple there, as well as a tomb containing Eudicot's body. The area was now considered holy ground and sealed off to most civilians, although no one could really understand why. The Gemini and the supposed origin of the Magikoopas were considered to be mere legends.<p>

Kamek was one of two inhabitants of old Petalburg still alive. The other had a mushy brain and didn't remember anything. The Mario brothers and Princess Peach had destroyed the Geminitems some years prior. Kamek knew that meant he was no longer immortal, and that someday his life would end like everybody else's. And yet he had no fear. Actually, he was grateful.

He was feeling better every day, because better memories appeared to him. Eudicot teaching her students at the Petalburg Sickbay, his little son Kroop playing in the old Tanooki tree, and sweet Clove ending every other sentence with "repeat". There was one he hadn't shared with Roy; one he hadn't thought of for eons.

The Observatory's garden had trees which were perfect for climbing. Four year old Kamek was hiding from the others. Today Eudicot had made him jealous again, so he had taken off without telling anyone. He fumed and hid where the leaves were at their thickest.

And he sat there until everybody started looking for him. The Lumas never came here. However, Eudicot did. She paid more attention to her brother than he thought.

"I know you're there." She was hovering outside the foliage. "Don't ignore me, Kamek; I see your glasses!"

Of course Kamek got in trouble for running away without letting his mother know where he had gone. This only added to his sulking, so he decided to hide, but this time in the library where he could hear Rosalina if she called for him again.

He calmed himself down with a book; "Stories for Mean Little Koopas" and a cup of tea. But once again he was interrupted by wings flapping. Eudicot landed on the top of the bookshelf.

"How did you find me; this is my secret place!" Kamek said sullenly.

"Please." Eudicot sat down. "Everybody knows this is where you come to cry."

Excellent. The little Mageling frowned. "Leave me alone."

His sister made no sign of leaving. Instead she bent her head; trying to see the book's title. "What are you reading?"

"A _book_. Beat it!" Kamek was so full of jealousy and bitterness he pushed Eudicot down from the shelf. She landed on her back and her breath was knocked out of her. She looked up at her brother, and her face was astonished and frightened at the same time. Kamek immediately regretted what he had done and climbed down to help her up.

"I'm so sorry, Eudicot. I didn't mean it!"

He brushed some dust off her robes. She straightened her glasses. "I hate it when you're like this! You treat me so badly!"

"I know, and I apologize." Kamek wrapped his hands under his chin, which he always did when feeling awkward.

"Why do you have to be such a jerk all the time? What did I do to you?"

"Because I'm jealous, alright? You're perfect and everybody loves you because you can use magic. I'm just poor, ugly Kamek who can't do anything and everyone should feel sorry for him. There, I said it!"

Eudicot shook her head. "That's not true. You know things about the stars and comets that I don't, because you… You can read. I, uh, can't read."

Kamek frowned again. "You can't read?"

She squirmed. "No. Not well anyway." She picked up the book and gave it back to her brother. "I know there are a lot of different stories in this book because of the pictures. Please read me one."

Kamek climbed, and with a lot of effort he managed to reach the seat of the large, human-scale chair and helped his sister crawl up, as she was smaller than him. The world is so unfair to those who are tiny.

"Which one would you like to hear?" Kamek opened the book and rested it over their legs. Eudicot pointed at a picture of vegetables dancing on the edge of a giant steel pot. "That one."

He read the title. "The Heinous Chicken Soup. Nice choice. 'Have you ever wondered why dessert is so good and vegetables are so gross? Here's the answer…"

After he had finished reading the story, Kamek curled up in the right side of the armchair, while Eudicot snuggled up against the left side's throw pillow. She looked at him and smiled. "I don't think you're ugly or helpless, Kamek." She was too tired to say more, and soon dozed off.

"Thank you."

Little Kamek wanted to read some more, but whenever one of the Star Children fell asleep, the other one followed immediately.

The adult Kamek held his tea in both hands and sighed. He wasn't immortal anymore. But he had no reason to think that the remainder of his life would be boring.

**The end**

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to all of you faithful readers! You make a very important difference in my life ^^<strong>


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